The Mikerophone

2008 NBA Mock Draft

2008-06-23T21:59:00.000-07:00

1. Chicago Bulls-Derrick Rose, PG, 6'3", Memphis
2. Miami Heat-Michael Beasley, PF, 6'9", Kansas St.
3. Minnesota Timberwolves-OJ Mayo, SG, 6'4", USC
4. Los Angeles Clippers-Eric Gordon, SG, 6'3", Indiana
5. Memphis Grizzlies-Kevin Love, PF, 6'10", UCLA
6. New York Knicks-Danillo Gallinari, SF, 6'8", Italy
7. Seattle Supersonics-Brook Lopez, C, 7'0", Stanford
8. Milwaukee Bucks-Russell Westbrook, PG, 6'3", UCLA
9. Charlotte Bobcats-Jerryd Bayliss, PG, 6'3", Arizona
10. New Jersey Nets-Joe Alexander, SF, 6'8", West Virginia
11. Indiana Pacers-Darrell Arthur, PF, 6'9", Kansas
12. Sacramento Kings-DJ Augustin, 6'0", PG, Texas
13. Portland Trail Blazers-Brandon Rush, SG, 6'6", Kansas
14. Golden State Warriors-Anthony Randolph, PF, 6'10", LSU
15. Phoenix Suns-Donte Green, SF, 6'10", Syracuse
16. Philadelphia 76ers-Jason Thompson, PF, 6'11", Rider
17. Indiana Pacers-Kosta Koufos, C, 7'0", Ohio St.
18. Washington Wizards-Roy Hibbert, C, 7'2", Georgetown
19. Cleveland Cavaliers-Robin Lopez, C, 7'0", Stanford
20. Charlotte Bobcats-Alexis Ajinca, C, 7'1", France
21. New Jersey Nets-JJ Hickson, PF, 6'9", North Carolina St.
22. Orlando Magic-Marreese Speights, PF, 6'10", Florida
23. Utah Jazz-JaVale McGee, C, 7'0", Nevada
24. Seattle Supersonics-Serge Ibaka, PF, 6'10", Congo
25. Houston Rockets-Chris Douglas-Roberts, 6'6", SG, Memphis
26. San Antonio Spurs-Ryan Anderson, PF, 6'10", California
27. Portland Trail Blazers-Nicolas Batum, SF, 6'8", France
28. Memphis Grizzlies-Ante Tomic, C, 7'2", Croatia
29. Detroit Pistons-Bill Walker, SF, 6'6", Kansas St.
30. Boston Celtics-Courtney Lee, SG, 6'5", Western Kentucky

Throwback Finals

2008-05-31T06:21:00.001-07:00

Lakers vs Celtics
30 Titles. 45 Finals appearances. Numerous Hall of Famers. The NBA has many rivalries, but no one questions the biggest rivalry of all, the one so big, they even named a video game after it. Lakers vs Celtics. Oh, you don't think it's a big deal? I guess you didn't see Paul Pierce's reaction after the C's finished off the Pistons in Game 6. I guess you didn't see the tears rolling down Kevin Garnett's face during the post game interview. This team knows how big this is and I'm sure the Lakers do too. Ordinarily, I'd give you a brief synopsis of my prognostication, but this is an entirely different bird. I'm breaking this down position by position.
PG: Rajon Rondo vs Derek Fisher Both help the teams in different ways, mostly as facilitators. Rondo's strengths are penetration and defense, Fisher's are clutch shooting and hustle. Fisher's postseason shooting has been off the radar, as he's shot 55% from 3-point range and will certainly make Rondo pay if he's caught cheating on defense. Generally, Rondo plays very good defense and is a top-notch rebounding guard, but he does have a tendency to overplay, so he better be careful not to pay too much attention to Kobe or Fisher will burn him. Edge: Push
SG: Ray Allen vs Kobe Bryant Kobe has come full circle as a basketball player, capturing his first MVP. The biggest adjustment in his game has been his ability to play within the offense and pick and choose when to take over. Always a spectacular scorer, now with improved shot selection and better teammates, Kobe has only two games in which he's shot under 40% while leading all playoff scorers at a 31.9 ppg clip. After going through an ugly playoff funk, Ray Allen, one of the deadliest 3-point shooters in NBA History, reemerged with a strong series against Detroit, a good omen going into the Finals. He's still shooting only 39% from the field this postseason and just 33% from 3-point range, although most of that can be attributed to the bad series he had against Cleveland. Edge: Lakers
SF: Paul Pierce vs Lamar Odom Pierce is the official go-to guy on the Celtics and he's played his best in series clinchers, including a 41 point performance in Game 7 against Cleveland and a 27 point performance in Game 6 against Detroit. Odom is a matchup headache, as he's too big for SF's and too quick for PF's with excellent passing skills and an assortment of low-post moves. He's also an improved rebounder, as he averaged 10.6 rpg during the regular season and 10.3 in the playoffs. If there is one difference, it's that Pierce is a little more consistent as a scorer and gets to the line more frequently. Edge: Celtics
PF: Kevin Garnett vs Vladimir Radmonovic KG has been everything to the Celtics from the standpoint of defense and leadership. He's at his best when facing up from 15 feet and knocking down jumpers from the left and right baseline. The Celtics will need him to dominate in the low block, however, as he has a clear advantage in size and athleticism against Vladimir Radmonovic. Radmonovic must force KG to respect his shot, as that's the only way to keep him out of the paint, where he's his most dominant defensively. Edge: Celtics
C: Kendrick Perkins vs Pau Gasol Perkins has benefitted from the defensive attention KG draws and is usually a cinch to score when he does get whatever limited touches he's alotted. He'll mainly be asked to do the dirty work, this time checking Pau Gasol, who has a beautiful inside game and excellent passing ability. As the Lakers' #2 option, he's been the perfect fit, as his soft hands are reason for Kobe to trust him in a way he could never trust Kwame Brown. While his shooting was off in the San Antonio series, he made up in a big way in Game 5 with a 19-rebound performance to help put the Lakers in the Finals. Edge: Lakers
Bench The Celtics have mostly gone with an eight-man rotation in the postseason. James Posey is a hard-nosed defender who can spell either Pierce or Allen and play some PF when the Celtics decide to go with a quicker lineup. PJ Brown is a savvy veteran who also plays physical defense and a soft touch from the baseline. Sam Cassell, while notorious for his stop-and-pop game, has struggled to get his shot off this postseason while Eddie House has played very well in his limited action. The Lakers have the deepest team in the NBA, as they can easily go 9 deep and not lose much. Jordan Farmar is an excellent penetrator and defender, Sasha Vujacic is a pesky defender with size to play either guard position, and Luke Walton is an excellent passer. Ronny Turiaf is an animal on the offensive glass and plays much bigger than his 6'8" frame. All four are versatile players, the kind Phil Jackson loves to employ in his Triangle Offense. Edge: Lakers
Coaching Phil Jackson is going for his 10th NBA Title and has long been reputable for knowing how to coach superstar players. Getting Kobe Bryant to buy into his system has been a long struggle, but Phil now has the perfect team to surround his superstar with. Phil is also unafraid to take chances, as he'll use his bench to help his team fight out of a deficit and not call timeouts even when his team is struggling. This strategy has proven effective, as it empowers players of lesser talent to take key shots with the game on the line if given the open look. Doc Rivers has also garnered a reputation for using his bench pretty liberally, although in this postseason, he's gone mostly to his veterans. Always a defensive player first, Rivers has taken that philosophy into his coaching, as the Celtics were the toughest team in the league defensively in the regular season. The Celtics are also an excellent passing team, although they sometimes have a tendency to overpass and haven't always been in synch offensively. Edge: Lakers
Verdict Boston has three very good, hungry star players, but the Lakers have the most feared offensive weapon in the NBA and a great team to surround him with. The key for Boston will be keeping Kobe in check, and they'll likely run Pierce, Allen, Posey, and at times even Tony Allen at him to throw him off his rhythm. As for LA, they'll likely treat KG the same defensively, mixing up their coverage between Gasol, Radmonovic and Turiaf. Paul Pierce is very good, but he'll have to play spectacular to keep up with Kobe, and over a seven game series, he may not be able to match that intensity. The Lakers are a deadly offensive team, but they proved in the San Antonio series that even when their shots aren't falling, they can turn it up a notch on the other end and force teams out of rhythm. The Celtics finally figured out their sudden road woes in the Detroit series, but it'll be tough for them to win a game in Staples, where the Lakers are undefeated in postseason play and haven't lost since late March. Lakers in 6

Playoff record: 12-2

NBA Conference Finals Predictions

2008-05-20T19:39:00.000-07:00

Eastern Conference Finals
Boston vs Detroit From December going forward, this was the cinch matchup for the Eastern Conference crown, and now that it has come to fruition, expect nothing less than a war. Looking at this series, it's important to note how the regular season series went. Ordinarily I steer clear of this when it comes to analyzing a matchup, but Boston so completely dominated Detroit in regular season play, I can't help but feel they're the favorite in this series. For them to win, however, they'll have to do it with Ray Allen's jumper completely shot. While Allen struggled throughout the Cleveland series, however, Rajon Rondo, Eddie House and James Posey all stepped it up and Paul Pierce saved his best performances for Games 5 and 7. If he can carry that confidence into the Detroit series, I don't think the Pistons will have an answer.
Key Matchup: Rasheed Wallace vs Kevin Garnett If Detroit has a wild card, it's Rasheed Wallace. While his offensive effectiveness has declined in the last couple years, if he can find a rhythm on offense and play like a beast on defense, he could keep Detroit in this series. It will be tough, however, going against the defensive player of the year in KG. Whoever plays with the most emotional stability wins the matchup and ultimately the series. KG has been known to be a bit high strung, but he's less likely to commit those backbreaking technical fouls by letting officials take him out of his game. Prediction: Celtics in 7

Western Conference Finals
Lakers vs Spurs The other conference finals out west should be just as compelling, as these two teams have dominated the past decade, 7 of the last 9 championships between them. There's a good chance one of these teams may hoist a banner at the end of the season. Both teams faced tough semifinal series' so fatigue won't be much of a factor. If anything though, it may affect the Spurs, who are coming off a draining seven game series against the Hornets that took every ounce of energy they had. These are not the youngest guys in the league either, as four of their five starters are in their thirties. It will be imperative that the Spurs get contributions from their bench, and not just Ginobili, as the Lakers have the deepest team in the NBA.
Key Matchup: Bruce Bowen vs Kobe Bryant He's gotten a lot older, but Bowen still has his same old reputation as a physical, borderline dirty defender. Now he draws the toughest assignment in all of basketball in Kobe Bryant. The scary part for Bowen is, the more physically you play Bryant, the more angry it gets him, to the point where by the 5th and 6th games, he's pulling up from 20 and draining jumpers in your face after about six headfakes. You'd rather Kobe the jumpshooter than Kobe the penetrator beat you though, so if Bowen can just contain Kobe until Duncan switches over, SA has a chance. That will be much harder than in years past, however, as he can't take his eyes off Pau and he can't really guard Radmonovic either, as that takes him away from the hoop. Prediction: Lakers in 7

Playoff Record: 10-2

Round 2 NBA Predictions

2008-05-05T12:44:00.000-07:00

Eastern Conference
Celtics vs Cavaliers This intriguing second round matchup pits the most explosive offensive player in the Eastern Conference against the NBA's best star trio. The Celts' Big 3 got put to the test in the last round, though, as they got more of a battle than anticipated from the upstart Atlanta Hawks. The Hawks extended a series many thought would be a sweep to seven games by winning all three games in Atlanta. Boston was able to close out the series, winning the decisive seventh game by 34 points while playing with the kind of defensive intensity that was curiously absent in Atlanta. While the Cavs are not as athletic as the Hawks, they have the same type of big-time scorer in LeBron James, except James is a better passer and rebounder than Joe Johnson. The Cavs also have plenty of good perimeter shooters, so it'll be important for the Celtics not to get too lured in by James's drives to the hoop.
Key Matchup: Rajon Rondo vs Delonte West The two PG's should be very familiar with each other by now after practicing against each other last year in Boston. Each is further down in the pecking order of the starting rotation, but each plays a big key in this series. West's job will be to make the defense respect him. He hit some big shots in the Washington series, including the game winner in the Game 4, but faces a much tougher test with the swarming defense of Rondo to deal with. For Rondo, the key will be getting Pierce, Allen and KG their shots and managing the game, something he was far more effective at in the Celtics' home games. Defensively, he just needs to stay at home on West and not be too tempted to play help defense on LeBron. If he can play within himself and not buckle under the pressure he'll face away from Boston, he'll be the key in helping the Celtics get that one key road victory they'll need in this series.
Prediction: Celtics in 6

Pistons vs Magic This is a far cry from last year's first round matchup, one in which the Pistons swept aside the young Magic. With Dwight Howard recording three 20-20 games, the Magic easily disposed of the Raptors in five games and are pumped up for the powerhouse Pistons, who are looking to make their sixth straight Eastern Conference Finals appearance. Detroit had a small scare from Philadelphia in round 1, losing two of the first three games and falling behind by 10 at halftime of Game 4. Obviously, at that point, something clicked and the Pistons transformed into the monster everyone thought they'd be going into the postseason. The Magic should present a good challenge for Detroit, as they have a front line that's about equal to the Pistons. Their inferior backcourt, however, may be their shortcoming if they do hope to pull an upset here.
Key Matchup: Rasheed Wallace vs Rashard Lewis Both are excellent supporting players who compliment the stars very well. Rasheed has long been the enforcer on the Pistons, a defensive whiz in the paint who makes the jobs of Billups and Hamilton easier. He has an excellent post-up game and can even draw the defense out with the three. Rashard shoots threes too, far more frequently and also has the mid-range game to go with it. His presence on the floor has done wonders to free Howard and Turkoglu for easier shots. For Detroit to win, Wallace must dominate inside and must also keep his emotions in check, as he has a tendency to blow up at officials and take himself out of games. Lewis needs to score consistently even if played physically and drag Wallace away from the hoop to give his teammates easy looks inside. Whoever performs their role better will likely experience the most team success.
Prediction: Pistons in 5

Western Conference

Lakers vs Jazz The Jazz have got to be nervous right about now. The Lakers have their strongest team since the 2002 Championship season and are so deep, even losing Andrew Bynum for the year doesn't seem to faze them. They have the most explosve offensive weapon in all of basketball in Kobe Bryant, who finally captured his long-deserved MVP trophy, and if that's not enough, the amazing chemistry of Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom. The Jazz overcame a very physical series with Houston, getting by on a sensational series from Deron Williams while the Lakers are well-rested, coming off a four-game sweep against the Nuggets. For them to beat the Lakers, however, they'll need more than just Williams, as the front line, in particular Carlos Boozer, will need to step up.
Key Matchup: Lamar Odom vs Andrei Kirilenko Kirilenko is the only player size-wise who can check Odom, and while he did a good job early in the Houston series against Tracy McGrady, his defensive effectiveness lessened as he became less involved in the offense. If Boozer can't get on track, it's important to keep Kirilenko active if the Jazz want to have a chance in the series. His defense becomes that much more valuable when he actually gets a few touches here and there.
Prediction: Lakers in 6

Hornets vs Spurs He's not quite on the level of a Kobe Bryant, but there's no denying the major impact Chris Paul has had on the NBA's most surprising team. The Spurs' would be ill advised trying to guard him the way they did Steve Nash, as Paul is quicker, more athletic and can get his shot off in traffic. Meanwhile, the Hornets also have a bruising guard by the name of Bonzi Wells who always manhandles Ginobili because he's big enough to post him up and three leapers to check the always-unstoppable Tim Duncan.
Key Matchup: Tyson Chandler vs Tim Duncan Duncan's monster series against Phoenix had everything to do with the Suns' weak interior defense, but the Hornets' interior D is anything but weak. Aside from Chandler, who's becoming a force in the paint, they also have a couple pogo-sticks off the bench in Chris Andersen and Hilton Armstrong. They have enough length to force Duncan to change his shots and keep him out of rhythm. They'll also do an excellent job of keeping Tony Parker out of the paint. The more they can limit Parker's penetration and Duncan's post game, the better shot the Hornets have in this series.
Prediction: Hornets in 7

First Round Record: 7-1

NBA Postseason Awards and 1st Round Predictions

2008-04-18T14:50:00.001-07:00

MVP: Kobe Bryant, Lakers I felt the last couple years he should have won this award, but with his scoring as high as its ever been and his assists going up thanks to finally having good teammates to pass the ball to, there's little doubt Kobe deserves this award. As tough as the West has been this year, to finish ahead of teams like Utah, San Antonio and Phoenix, who have just as much, if not more talent than this team is a tribute to Kobe's overall brilliance. Now that the playoffs are upon him, he's got every shot to carry this team to the Finals and a shot at possibly a fourth ring.

Rookie of the Year: Kevin Durant, Sonics He was the only rookie out of this class to play close to a star level, as Durant is already a natural scorer facing up. His poor shooting can be somewhat attributed to his shot selection, which will improve over time, but also due to the fact that he was often playing out of position. He's probably more of a SF, as he has a very good mid-range game, but he was streaky from the perimeter at the SG spot. Al Horford and Luis Scola had solid years as well and experience a bit more team success, but their scoring numbers aren't close to Durant's and they didn't get quite enough rebounds to make up for it.

Coach of the Year: Byron Scott, Hornets One of the big keys for the Hornets this year was staying healthy, but even so, Scott's team, outside of Chris Paul, still had a lot of question marks and he deserves a lot of credit for getting so much out of Tyson Chandler and Peja Stojakovic, the former a raw talent still trying to reach his potential and the latter a shooting star who had missed parts of the last two years with injuries. He also uses his bench well, letting guys like Jannero Pargo and Julian Wright earn minutes through their strong play and the team chemistry he's had has allowed the Hornets to compete with the West's elite and surprise everybody by clinching the stacked Southwest Division.

Defensive Player of the Year: Kevin Garnett, Celtics Doc Rivers's hiring of Tom Thibodeau to manage the defense was a brilliant move, and the alpha dog in his system has been none other than KG. His rebounding and blocked shot numbers are actually surprisingly low for his standards, but a big part of the Celtics' 66 wins has been giving up the fewest points per game in the NBA. Garnett's presence in the paint has allowed Allen, Pierce and Rondo to gamble for steals. He's constantly active, making plays to disrupt ball rotation and force bad shots. The truth is, Garnett has always been a standout player defensively. He's just getting a chance to show it more on a team built for success.

Most Improved Player: Al Jefferson, Timberwolves While he's nowhere close to KG defensively, Jefferson's one of a small handful of players to average over 20 ppg and 10 rpg this past season. Since he's pretty much the T-Wolves only reliable offensive weapon, he's gotten more touches and has developed a rhythm with his smooth post-up game. He did it despite playing out of position at center for much of the year, so it's imperative that McHale find a good big man to take pressure off of him.

Sixth Man of the Year: Manu Ginobili, Spurs Ginobili led all reserves in scoring and has thrived in the role, as his hustle and energy is actually more valuable on the second unit. Don't be fooled though, because you know Popovich will have this fearless clutch shooter out on the floor in crunch time. Whether it's acrobatic shots or fancy passes, Ginobili is a playmaker deluxe and a real pain in the ass to play against.

Round 1
Eastern Conference

Celtics vs Hawks This should be a good warmup series for the Celtics and a chance to rest plenty of their starters if they can take care of business. The Hawks have a lot of young talent, the problem is they're inexperienced on the big stage. Against a tough defense like Boston, they'll be forced to rely too much on Joe Johnson, who's their only real threat as a scorer.
Key Matchup: Rondo vs Bibby If the Hawks want any shot in this series, Bibby is going to have to win this battle. He has the edge in postseason experience, but as long as Rondo plays within himself and plays the same harrassing defense on Bibby he plays on everyone else, the C's should win handily.
Prediction: Celtics in 4

Pistons vs Sixers The Pistons have as deep a team as the 2004 squad that won the NBA title, as Joe Dumars' draft brilliance has landed the Pistons a good enough bench to give the starters rest in key stretches. That bench will be sorely needed in this series as well, as the Pistons go against a young, athletic Sixers' team playing with a ton of confidence.
Key Matchup: Tayshaun Prince vs Andre Igoudala The big key for Prince won't be to shut Igoudala down, as that's very hard to do, but to force him to shoot a low percentage and work some of his unorthodox offense into the picture. As long as Prince is active on defense and doesn't get shut out of the offense, the Pistons have an easy series. If Iggy goes off though, they're in for a battle.
Prediction: Pistons in 5

Magic vs Raptors These two teams are built in similar fashion. Both have dominant PF's who control the paint for their respective ballclubs and plenty of great shooters to surround them with. The difference is Orlando's a little bit better and Toronto's backcourt isn't consistent enough to exploit the Magic's glaring weakness in their own backcourt.
Key Matchup: Jamario Moon vs Hedo Turkoglu Moon is the X-factor in this series. He'll be asked to guard the Magic's most improved player and help out Bosh on the boards, as he'll have his hands full with man-beast Dwight Howard. If he can take away Turkoglu as a weapon, the Raptors will limit the Magic's scoring options and put more pressure on Howard to deliver inside.
Prediction: Magic in 6

Cavaliers vs Wizards The Wizards have been sent home, courtesy of these same Cavs, in each of the last two years. Still, they come into this series with a lot of swagger with Arenas and Butler finally healed from injuries. Cleveland, meanwhile, has struggled to find an identity since making the blockbuster trade that sent Larry Hughes and Drew Gooden to Chicago. Ben Wallace has been laboring in back pain, Wally Sczezerbiak has cratered under pressure, shooting very poorly, and Daniel Gibson has been slow recovering from an injury that put him out most of the second half. LeBron is capable of a monster series and the Cavs need one from him if they want to get any further than round 1.
Key Matchup: DeShawn Stevenson vs LeBron James If history is any indication, Stevenson would be ill-served to badmouth LeBron James. The last thing you want to do to a competitor like James is piss him off. While he's certainly an able defender, he better stay in front of LeBron as much as possible and hope his shot isn't falling. Otherwise, he'll live in infamy with the Craig Ehlos and Bryon Russells of the world.
Prediction: Cavaliers in 7

Western Conference

Lakers vs Nuggets This should be an entertaining, high-scoring series with three of the top five scorers in the league playing. A high scoring game could be Denver's worst nightmare too, as LA has one gunslinger in Kobe Bryant who can outduel the explosive tandem of Carmelo Anthony and Allen Iverson. He also has two teammates in Lamar Odom and Pau Gasol with brilliant post-games, with both players complimenting each other extremely well. As good as Anthony and Iverson are as individuals, they both need the ball to dominate and neither is a good enough outside shooter to stretch the defense.
Key Matchup: Pau Gasol and Lamar Odom vs Marcus Camby and Kenyon Martin For Denver to have a shot in this series, they'll have to get it done on the defensive end. If Camby and Martin can rough up and intimidate the Lakers' stars, Denver has a shot in this series, provided they can also get contributions off the bench from Linas Kleiza and JR Smith.
Prediction: Lakers in 6

Hornets vs Mavericks If any series is ripe with upset potential, this is it. Dallas has been on fire since Nowitzki returned from injury and they're adjusting to playing with PG magician Jason Kidd. The Hornets, meanwhile, are a little green on the big stage and have never won a game in Dallas. If they can't defend the homecourt, they maybe going home early this year.
Key Matchup: Jason Kidd vs Chris Paul This is the biggest intrigue surrounding the series. Jason Kidd has been one of the premier PG's in the NBA for the past decade, but now Paul is looking to take the torch from him. Whoever does the best job of getting their teammates involved is coming out victorious in this series.
Prediction: Mavericks in 6

Spurs vs Suns The matchup of the first round, without question. Whoever wins this series makes a good case for the conference finals, maybe even the NBA Finals. The Suns have been hell bent on revenge against the Spurs, but knew the only way to do it was to get a strong half court player. So they took a gamble with chemistry and traded for the biggest, strongest player in the league, the Shaq-daddy himself. While Phoenix has had its ups and downs defensively and has had some trouble adjusting to slowing things down with O'Neal on the floor, if anyone has benefitted from this trade, it's Amare Stoudemire. He's showing more of his game now that he's playing his natural position of PF and taking bigger, slower players off the dribble while showing improving range on his jump shot. For Phoenix to win and overcome their hurdle, however, he'll have to outshine Tim Duncan, which is by no stretch of the imagination easy.
Key Matchup: Amare Stoudemire vs Kurt Thomas Thomas is a rugged defender, but he'll undoubtedly have his hands full with Amare, who's becoming a load in the low block. The biggest key will be playing physically enough to frustaurate Stoudemire the same way he frustaurated Duncan at times last year. He'll get his help with Oberto and at times Duncan checking him, but with Shaq on the team, he'll get more room to make his moves, which could spell doom for the defending champs.
Prediction: Spurs in 7

Rockets vs Jazz This is a rematch of last year's thrilling first round series, one that started so well for Tracy McGrady, Yao Ming and the Rockets but ended so badly with the Jazz's talent and depth outlasting the Rockets in a heartbreaking Game 7 loss. They did just enough to clinch home court advantage this year, riding out a 22-game winning streak even with Yao's season-ending foot injury and barely holding off the surging Jazz, even after losing to them on the road in the second-to-last game of the year. Not getting home court advantage could be troublesome for the Jazz, as they'll once again have to steal a game in Houston to win this series. They have a huge opportunity to do so as well, with Rafer Alston out for the first two games.
Key Matchup: Luis Scola, Chuck Hayes and Carl Landry vs Carlos Boozer One of the areas the Rockets upgraded from last season is at PF, swiping Scola from the Spurs and getting a second-round steal in Landry to compliment Hayes. Hayes is the smallest of the three big forwards, but he's also the most experienced and the toughest defensively. They'll all have their hands full with Boozer, but if Scola and Landry can provide some bonus offense, they could swing things more in the Rockets' favor. Tragically, though, without Yao in the middle, the Rockets may not be quite the same offensive force, so their defense will have to be strong for seven games against the sharpest-shooting team in the league.
Prediction: Jazz in 6

Week 24 NBA Rankings

2008-04-18T12:52:00.001-07:00

1. Boston Celtics (66-16) (1) For what its worth, even when Rivers rested the starters, the C's still went 8-1 down the stretch. The key to them advancing in the playoffs though, will be the continued maturity of Rondo and Perkins.
2. Detroit Pistons (59-23) (3) Going into the postseason, the Pistons will get a much-needed boost off the bench from Stuckey, Affalo and Maxiell, three youngsters who have blossomed into excellent talents.
3. Los Angeles Lakers (57-25) (6) Clinching the #1 was important only for homecourt advantage, but it'll be tough working Bynum back into the flow with a tough Denver squad on their hands.
4. New Orleans Hornets (56-26) (2) The biggest knock on this team is their inexperience, but nonetheless, if Paul can elevate his game and if they can find a way to get a road game, they may have just enough to squeeze past Dallas.
5. San Antonio Spurs (56-26) (5) If the Utah game is any indication, the defending champs look primed to defend their title in a stacked Western Conference.
6. Houston Rockets (55-27) (7) They deserve all the credit in the world for finishing in the top 5 in the West, but it'll be tough handling Deron Williams in the first two games with Rafer on the sidelines.
7. Phoenix Suns (55-27) (4) They have the swagger with Shaq and they've beaten the Spurs twice since acqiring him, but are the Suns tough enough to take them out this year and redeem themselves from last year's heartwrenching defeat?
8. Utah Jazz (54-28) (8) They're a different team on the road than they are at home, but those 17 road wins do include a few impressive ones, such as Detroit, Boston and NO.
9. Dallas Mavericks (51-31) (10) Overall, it isn't the 67-win explosion from last year, but the Mavs appear to be peaking at just the right time.
10. Denver Nuggets (50-32) (11) They're a dangerous 8 seed just b/c of the talent AI and Carmelo have, but if they can get production out of Smith and Kleiza as well, they could give LA fits.
11. Orlando Magic (52-30) (9) Having Big Dwight's probably enough to get them a round, but beyond that, the Magic's streaky backcourt will be their undoing against the Pistons.
12. Golden State Warriors (48-34) (12) Nellie's well on his way to burning bridges with another superstar when he benched Baron Davis for the entire second half of the Phoenix game, which the Warriors lost, sealing their season.
13. Cleveland Cavaliers (45-37) (13) A repeat run to the Finals is very unlikely, as LeBron may have to work even harder this year to get them there.
14. Washington Wizards (43-39) (14) Well, DeShawn wanted LeBron, now he gets a full seven games of him. Lets hope his whole career isn't defined by a buzz-quote.
15. Toronto Raptors (41-41) (16) I might pick the Raptors to upset the Magic, except for the fact that their backcourt is just as streaky.
16. Philadelphia 76ers (40-42) (15) Its too bad that the Sixers, as well as they've played, get the daunting task of facing the playoff-savvy Pistons. Any other matchup and I'd have them penciled in for an upset.
17. Portland Trail Blazers (41-41) (17) They tailed off after the early hot-streak, but the Blazers have to feel optimistic about an 11-game improvement and Oden's eventual return.
18. Atlanta Hawks (37-45) (18) About the only intrigue the Hawks bring to their 1st round matchup is how Joe Johnson fares against his old team.
19. Sacramento Kings (38-44) (20) I have to give Artest credit. No blowups this year and the coach actually wants him back.
20. Indiana Pacers (36-46) (19) They couldn't overcome all the injuries and felonies in the world to get back to the postseason, but at least Dunlevy finally matured into a good player.
21. New Jersey Nets (34-48) (21) Until they get leaders with more heart than Carter and Jefferson, the Nets will continue to fall short of expectations.
22. Chicago Bulls (33-49) (22) Winning the lotto might be about the only way Paxson saves his job.
23. Charlotte Bobcats (32-50) (23) While Paul and Williams have become dominant players after three years, Felton is just barely holding onto his starting job on a mediocre ballclub.
24. Milwaukee Bucks (26-56) (24) The Krystowiak experiment bombed badly, so it's no surprise they dumped him.
25. New York Knicks (23-59) (25) With the season over, day 1 of the Knicks' overpublicized coaching search is underway.
26. Los Angeles Clippers (23-59) (26) Elton already put up close to his prime numbers in just six games and should be back in top form after an offseason of rest.
27. Minnesota Timberwolves (22-60) (28) If they can get Brook Lopez in the draft, along with Jefferson and Gomes, they'll have a pretty good young front line.
28. Memphis Grizzlies (22-60) (27) Once again, huge mistake to fire Iavaroni. You can't make a young team better by constantly shuffling coaches.
29. Seattle Supersonics (20-62) (29) With the season in ruin and the team on their way out, Durant's 42-point performance may have helped him clinch ROY honors.
30. Miami Heat (15-67) (30) You know if Wade and Marion aren't at the Heat games, they're pretty much everywhere on South Beach.

Mock Draft

2008-04-11T06:36:00.001-07:00

1. Miami Dolphins-Jake Long, OT, Michigan
2. St. Louis Rams-Chris Long, DE, Virginia
3. Atlanta Falcons-Glenn Dorsey, DT, LSU
4. Oakland Raiders-Darren McFadden, RB, Arkansas
5. Kansas City Chiefs-Ryan Clady, OT, Boise St.
6. New York Jets-Vernon Gholston, DE, Ohio St.
7. New England Patriots (via San Francisco)-Keith Rivers, OLB, USC
8. Baltimore Ravens-Matt Ryan, QB, Boston College
9. Cincinnati Bengals-Sedrick Ellis, DT, USC
10. New Orleans Saints-Jerod Mayo, OLB, Tennessee
11. Buffalo Bills-Derrick Harvey, DE, Florida
12. Denver Broncos-Jeff Otah, OT, Pittsburgh
13. Carolina Panthers-Branden Albert, OG, Virginia
14. Chicago Bears-Chris Williams, OT, Vanderbilt
15. Detroit Lions-Rashard Mendenhall, RB, Illinois
16. Arizona Cardinals-Leodis McKelvin, CB, Troy
17. Kansas City Chiefs (via Minnesota)-Aqib Talib, CB, Kansas
18. Houston Texans-Dominique Rogers-Cromartie, CB, Tennessee St.
19. Philadelphia Eagles-Johnathan Stewart, RB, Oregon
20. Tampa Bay Buccaneers-Devin Thomas, WR, Michigan St.
21. Washington Redskins-Philip Merling, DE, Clemson
22. Dallas Cowboys (via Cleveland)-Felix Jones, RB, Arkansas
23. Pittsburgh Steelers-Kentwan Balmer, DT, North Carolina
24. Tennessee Titans-Malcolm Kelly, WR, Oklahoma
25. Seattle Seahawks-Dustin Keller, TE, Purdue
26. Jacksonville Jaguars-Calais Campbell, DE, Miami
27. San Diego Chargers-Mike Jenkins, CB, South Florida
28. Dallas Cowboys-Early Doucet, WR, LSU
29. San Francisco 49ers-Gosder Cherilus, OT, Boston College
30. Green Bay Packers-Brandon Flowers, CB, Virginia Tech
31. New York Giants-Kenny Phillips, S, Miami

Week 23 NBA Rankings

2008-04-10T14:27:00.000-07:00

1. Boston Celtics (62-16) (1) The C's just better hope Cassell's back is healed up enough for one more playoff run, but the good news is Rondo has been so good, they may not need to worry about him until the inevitable matchup with Detroit.
2. New Orleans Hornets (55-23) (4) All they have to do is wrap up the conference and Paul's pretty much a lock for MVP.
3. Detroit Pistons (55-23) (2) That was so gracious of the Pistons to basically tank a game for Isiah.
4. Phoenix Suns (53-26) (6) If they have to start the playoffs on the road, they'll be kicking themselves over that one awful quarter against Dallas.
5. San Antonio Spurs (53-25) (3) The fact they've had such anemic offensive outputs in the last week has to be alarming to the Defending Champs.
6. Los Angeles Lakers (53-25) (5) Bynum is sure taking his sweet time, which can't be good news for the Lakers if they have to face Shaq and the Suns in the first round.
7. Houston Rockets (53-25) (8) If they can't get Yao back, at least get Landry back at full strength so TMac can finally get past the first round.
8. Utah Jazz (52-26) (7) With the division title in reach, the Jazz turned it up a couple notches defensively to stifle the Spurs and Hornets and solidify at least a #4 spot.
9. Orlando Magic (49-29) (9) Marcin Gortat will probably get cut on the grounds of playing too physical, even if Howard doesn't miss a game after getting elbowed in the mouth.
10. Dallas Mavericks (49-29) (10) Lets not get too excited, after all, they were expected to play like this all year and they finally put it together in the 4th quarter in Phoenix.
11. Denver Nuggets (47-31) (11) Losses to the Kings and Sonics have set the stage for a showdown with the Warriors that will likely determine who gets the 8th seed.
12. Golden State Warriors (47-31) (12) So get your popcorn ready, there will be an abundance of points in this game.
13. Cleveland Cavaliers (43-35) (13) LeBron's back better be ok, its the Cavs only shot at advancing a round in the postseason.
14. Washington Wizards (41-37) (16) A lot of pundits seem to like Washington to pull the upset in round 1, but I'm not convinced unless Gilbert fully embraces the 6th man role.
15. Philadelphia 76ers (40-38) (14) Igoudala has earned every penny of that $50 million dollar deal upcoming this offseason.
16. Toronto Raptors (39-39) (15) You want to stay away from the Pistons in round 1, but unfortunately, that's exactly where the Raptors are headed.
17. Portland Trail Blazers (39-39) (18) If they get a top 3 pick this year, the FBI will be in David Stern's office by tomorrow, and that's a promise.
18. Atlanta Hawks (36-42) (17) I mean, if you're going to be the #8 seed, at least rep it right, otherwise give it up!
19. Indiana Pacers (34-44) (20) JO got back just in time, but they still have some ground to make up.
20. Sacramento Kings (36-42) (19) I'd like to congratuate the Kings for allowing a 140-point game in regulation. The NBA needed it.
21. New Jersey Nets (32-46) (21) Throw a white flag on their season. When you lose to a Magic team with nothing to play for and a playoff seed on lock, you don't deserve to be in the playoffs even if you're "technically" alive.
22. Chicago Bulls (30-48) (22) What a way to finish such a massive disappointment, by dropping a game to the depleted Heat.
23. Charlotte Bobcats (30-49) (23) The Bobcats are naming thier new arena Time Warner Cable. Oh, good, there's another cable owner in New York who's being dragged through the mud right now...
24. Milwaukee Bucks (26-52) (24) They really haven't been significant in twenty years, save that one playoff run in 2002. I'd happily cast my vote for Simmons to run that team (no, not you Bobby, you owe the Bucks money anyways).
25. New York Knicks (23-56) (28) The minute Walsh takes the GM job, you win 4 in a row? Good job Isiah, at least you keep your post about a week longer.
26. Los Angeles Clippers (23-55) (25) Well, in a week, Elgin can start scouting at least, after all, he's a veteran at this by now.
27. Memphis Grizzlies (21-57) (26) 3.1 points and 3.7 rebounds. Yup, I'm sure that was what Wallace was looking for in return for Gasol.
28. Minnesota Timberwolves (19-59) (27) Oh, poor Antoine. Look at it this way, at least you're getting a paycheck.
29. Seattle Supersonics (18-61) (29) So the Sonics are giving giveaways to the fans before moving the team. I have one, how about a pistol that shoots out Sonics merchandise as the fans point it to their heads.
30. Miami Heat (14-64) (30) Now that the tournaments over, what's Pat's next excuse for his leave of absence from the Heat?

Week 22 NBA Rankings

2008-04-03T12:58:00.000-07:00

1. Boston Celtics (60-15) (1) About the only thing the Celtics have to fear is random mascots firing shirts at them.
2. Detroit Pistons (53-21) (3) Stuckey had his first big breakout game with a 27 point performance against the TWolves.
3. San Antonio Spurs (52-23) (4) One of the biggest keys to the winning streak has been the Spurs' stifling defense, which has held 6 of 8 opponents under 90 during their 8-game winning streak.
4. New Orleans Hornets (52-22) (2) Just one more week and the Hornets will have made the playoffs, completing an incredible four-year rebuilding success.
5. Los Angeles Lakers (51-24) (7) Ira Newble will be a popular interview in a year when people ask him who's better between Kobe and LeBron.
6. Phoenix Suns (50-25) (6) I'm guessing the basket manufacturers in New Jersey aren't the biggest Shaq fans in the world.
7. Utah Jazz (50-26) (8) CJ Miles made things happen with a career-high 29 points when given an opportunity against the Wizards.
8. Houston Rockets (49-25) (5) Reality has set in, as the Rockets have now fallen to 6th in the West since their 22-game winning streak.
9. Orlando Magic (47-28) (9) With the Magic struggling to rebound and Cook getting hurt, the Magic don't want to face a big team like the Raptors in round 1.
10. Dallas Mavericks (47-28) (12) Dirk's comeback was huge in a pivotal showdown with the Warriors, as the Mavs now have some breathing room to work with in this congested race.
11. Denver Nuggets (46-29) (11) After going 3-1 in a four game stretch against the Suns, Mavs and Warriors, the Nuggets can feel better about their playoff chances.
12. Golden State Warriors (45-30) (10) The Warriors' offense suddenly has gone flat in the last two games, and they couldn't have picked a worse time.
13. Cleveland Cavaliers (42-33) (14) Big Ben's Big Bad Back is once again giving out on him.
14. Philadelphia 76ers (38-37) (13) The Sixers' ascent to .500 has been nothing short of miraculous and they'll be a tough out in the postseason.
15. Toronto Raptors (38-37) (17) The Raptors can't help but feel a little cheated by the Hawks' scorekeeper.
16. Washington Wizards (38-37) (16) It was almost the perfect storybook ending, but Ramon Sessions' game-winner foiled Arenas's much anticipated return.
17. Atlanta Hawks (35-40) (18) If you watched your team miss the playoffs for the last eight years and they're finally looking like they have a shot, wouldn't you alter the outcome of games as well?
18. Portland Trail Blazers (38-37) (15) With their playoff hopes dashed, the best the Blazers can do is play spoiler.
19. Sacramento Kings (34-40) (19) A lot of people were quick to criticize the Kings for signing him, but Mikki Moore has earned his contract with his performance this year.
20. Indiana Pacers (31-44) (21) Donnie Walsh's curious decision to take over the Knicks' GM job has everything to do with Bird's longstanding vendetta against Zeke.
21. New Jersey Nets (31-44) (20) Increasing the tempo will only work if the Nets exert more effort on the defensive end.
22. Chicago Bulls (29-45) (22) If the other Bull players were as accurate shooting a basketball as Benny the Bull is with the shirt-gun, they wouldn't lose half as many games as they've lost.
23. Charlotte Bobcats (28-47) (23) Anyone else see Morrison's 'do when he was spotted in the stands at the Gonzaga game? He's traded the Jim Morrison 'stache for more of a grunge look.
24. Milwaukee Bucks (26-48) (25) I wonder how Bobby Simmons must feel stealing all that money from the Bucks.
25. Los Angeles Clippers (23-52) (26) Elton's back! Hooray! Now my fantasy team has a real shot at winning it all!
26. Memphis Grizzlies (20-55) (28) Why are the Grizzlies running Iavaroni out? Who expected this team to actually be good?
27. Minnesota Timberwolves (19-55) (24) Taylor wants to talk about KG tanking it, but how do you explain his team losing to Detroit's backups?
28. New York Knicks (20-55) (26) Isiah's at about that point in his coaching tenure with the Knicks as Denzel was in training day before he got gunned down by the Russian mob.
29. Seattle Supersonics (17-58) (29) Fred Brown is admirable for trying to save the Sonics with a new arena proposal, but he just doesn't carry the clout of a Clay Bennett.
30. Miami Heat (13-62) (30) Why does Shaq have to cause drama to every team that trades him?

Sports Media: Too Much Negativity

2008-04-01T02:43:00.001-07:00

I woke up a full two hours before work today and decided I'd return to watching a longtime favorite of mine, SportsCenter. The show was going well, as they were covering the blow-by-blow on the harrowing NBA playoff races and opening day in baseball. By 5:30 though, I saw a clip of what drives me (and I'm sure a number of people) crazy about the sports media. I hear yet another clip on Jose Canseco ratting out yet another baseball superstar, this time Alex Rodriguez. I was never a huge ARod fan, but I've always respected his ability. I sat listening to the report shaking my head and mumbling to myself "Who's next, Hank Aaron?" Not that you can blame Canseco, after all, what's in it for him is a large amount of income if it gets his next book off the shelf. Nothing like free publicity, I always say, plus it gets him in the media spotlight just as he was getting blackballed from the sport of baseball.
If that's not enough, what's the very next story to pop up on the screen??? Oh, why Spygate of course. I think we're losing our rationale when we compare a coach stealing football signals to one of the worst events in American history. You'll never convince me that in any way compares to government officials stealing confidential security information that may have compromised the safety of our nation. Sadly enough, there are people out there who base their happiness and well being on the outcome of a football game, but that's the rationale of todays society. I don't ask much out of my sports media, but is it worth reporting negative stories at the gain of a few dollars? There are so many athletes out there doing things the right way, why not run a story on them every once in a while? It might improve the perception of sports in the eyes of the casual observer, who may find a reason to watch again.
That's all I have here, it's off to the real world now.

Week 21 NBA Rankings

2008-03-27T15:26:00.000-07:00

1. Boston Celtics (56-15) (1) KG took the young Amare to school in a showdown between two of the league's top PF's.
2. New Orleans Hornets (49-21) (3) By throwing out more assists than FEMA, CP3 has become a hero on the bayou, reviving basketball in the city of New Orleans.
3. Detroit Pistons (50-21) (2) They're an OT win over Phoenix away from an 0-4 week and now must replace Rip in the lineup.
4. San Antonio Spurs (49-23) (9) Once again, we spoke too soon. You can never count out the defending champs, as their five game winning streak has proven.
5. Houston Rockets (49-23) (6) OK, maybe they're not winning 22 straight anymore, but surviving one of the season's toughest stretches and staying in the top 3 has to do wonders for their confidence.
6. Phoenix Suns (47-24) (4) The Boston game, they flat out lost, but Phoenix can't be happy about the officials jobbing them in the Detroit game.
7. Los Angeles Lakers (49-23) (5) Kobe's losing some MVP luster with all the recent, untimely ejections, the latest of which costing his team a gimme win against the Bobcats.
8. Utah Jazz (47-25) (7) Unless their defense plays at the same level as their offense, this team is looking more one-and-done than ever.
9. Orlando Magic (46-27) (8) So Shaq wants to run the Magic with Grant Hill as his GM? Who's the coach, Penny? Should we be looking out for a Ricky Davis contract sometime in the near future?
10. Golden State Warriors (43-27) (11) They can't be this abysmal under the boards and expect to win in the playoffs.
11. Denver Nuggets (43-28) (12) I'm kinda rooting for them to get in. At least the first round would be entertaining.
12. Dallas Mavericks (46-27) (10) Time to throw up the white flag? They weren't beating good teams with Dirk, now they're supposed to do the same without him?
13. Philadelphia 76ers (37-35) (14) The talent was always there, now they're playing at a faster pace. And don't underestimate the value of a Reggie Evans, he maybe a nut-grabber, but even Tim Duncan's ankles shake when he goes up against this rugged defender.
14. Cleveland Cavaliers (40-32) (13) It's just not adding up. Unless the Cavs can get LeBron a real supporting cast, I look forward to buying his Knicks jersey in a couple years.
15. Portland Trail Blazers (38-34) (16) Knowing he's about a year away from being completely insignificant, Przybilla had another totally random 20+ rebounding game.
16. Washington Wizards (37-34) (15) If they finish in the top 5 in the East, Eddie Jordan deserves serious Coach of the Year consideration.
17. Toronto Raptors (36-35) (17) Lucky for them, the floor keeps descending in the East basement, so getting through a Bosh-less stretch in 7th has to count for something, right...
18. Atlanta Hawks (31-40) (20) And the Hawks are holding up the rear. Good to see Mini-me back though, he was all but left for dead in Sac-town.
19. Sacramento Kings (32-39) (18) CWebb retired in some unrelated Kings' news. No word on whether he plans to call an untimely timeout during his retirement ceremony.
20. New Jersey Nets (31-41) (19) Josh Boone with two 20-point games in a week?? This has to be a misprint, right?
21. Indiana Pacers (29-43) (22) Suddenly, Dunlevy is playing the best basketball of his career when the Pacers suddenly look like they have a slim shot at the 8th seed.
22. Chicago Bulls (28-43) (21) It's safe to call Boylan nothing more than a substitute teacher when two of the hardest working players on the team, Duhon and Nocioni, scoff at his decision-making.
23. Charlotte Bobcats (26-45) (23) At least in the course of this miserable season, you can still spot those two blips in Charlotte's record, wins in LA and Boston.
24. Minnesota Timberwolves (18-52) (24) Maybe Taylor will next accuse Corey Brewer of "tanking" since he's hurt in the last two weeks of the season.
25. Milwaukee Bucks (24-46) (25) Two losses to the Heat in the past week? That's beyond inexcusable.
26. Los Angeles Clippers (21-50) (26) Smush is back in LA with a starting job, he's just stuck on the wrong team.
27. New York Knicks (20-51) (27) Believe it or not, they're techically not eliminated in the East yet.
28. Memphis Grizzlies (18-53) (28) With the season all but lost, it's good to see Warrick and Gay pick up all those garbage points to help my fantasy team.
29. Seattle Supersonics (17-55) (29) David Stern just poked a stick in a dead corpse by officially announcing the new deal on KeyArena was insufficient.
30. Miami Heat (13-58) (30) They should bring Steve Smith and Rony Seikaly out of retirement just to sell tickets.

Week 20 NBA Rankings

2008-03-20T06:27:00.000-07:00

1. Boston Celtics (54-13) (1) If they find a way to sweep the Texas Triangle without Ray Allen, they're building a lot of credibility as a championship favorite.
2. Detroit Pistons (49-19) (4) Think Georgia's SEC magic has something to do with Jarvis Hayes's monster game against NO?
3. New Orleans Hornets (46-21) (5) MoPete's freezing up, so it's imperative they get something out of Bonzi down the stretch.
4. Phoenix Suns (46-22) (10) We knew it would be a struggle to adjust to Shaq, but I have to give the team credit, as they've now added a new dimension and suddenly look like a Finals favorite.
5. Los Angeles Lakers (46-21) (3) With Pau out and Bynum slowly recovering, the Lakers will need a few 60-point games from Kobe to stay in the West hunt for the next couple weeks.
6. Houston Rockets (46-22) (2) The 22-game winning streak went down with a thud, but a second straight anemic offensive showing against NO can't be encouraging with GS and Phoenix still up.
7. Utah Jazz (45-24) (7) Kirilenko's health is very important so the Jazz better make sure he's healthy for the postseason, when his defensive presence will be sorely needed.
8. Orlando Magic (45-25) (9) How long can Hedo keep this up?? 39 against the Wizards?? Unreal.
9. San Antonio Spurs (44-23) (6) The latest four-game losing streak again makes you wonder if this team is aging and has lost its killer instinct.
10. Dallas Mavericks (44-24) (11) They still have yet to win a game against a +.500 team since the Kidd trade.
11. Golden State Warriors (42-25) (8) Jackson-Ellis-Davis is like a more thugged out version of Run TMC.
12. Denver Nuggets (40-28) (12) Those inhuman point totals the Nugs put up don't mean a thing if they can't stop anyone when it matters.
13. Cleveland Cavaliers (39-30) (13) Stevenson talking trash about LeBron? Someone's about to look like John Starks against MJ if the Cavs and Wizards meet up again in the postseason.
14. Philadelphia 76ers (34-34) (17) Before anyone knocks Billy King about mismanaging a few contracts, they should look at how well his draft picks have performed this year.
15. Washington Wizards (34-33) (16) If Agent Zero can make a comeback and play at 50% of his ability, this team will be a tough out in round 1.
16. Portland Trail Blazers (35-33) (14) +.500 is still a great accomplishment when you consider where the Blazers were two years ago. Pritchard clearly knows what he's doing.
17. Toronto Raptors (35-33) (15) Bosh couldn't have found a better time to come back, as the Raptors are reeling and barely hanging onto the 5th spot.
18. Sacramento Kings (31-36) (19) Kevin Martin must be used to anaymity right now, as he was an unheralded scorer on a bad team in college and remains so in the pros.
19. New Jersey Nets (29-39) (20) Now that Harris is free of Avery Johnson's overcoaching, we're beginning to see the actual talent he does have and how royally the Mavericks screwed up on this trade.
20. Atlanta Hawks (29-39) (21) They're slowly gathering momentum, but losing in New Jersey is not helping their playoff chances.
21. Chicago Bulls (27-40) (18) Green Jerseys the day after St. Patty's day? I'll give the Bulls' marketing team some credit.
22. Indiana Pacers (27-41) (22) Dunlevy's strong play has been one of the few bright spots in another disappointing Pacers' season.
23. Charlotte Bobcats (24-44) (23) The sad reality is none of the Bobcats' draft picks are really working out and trading Brendan Wright will kill them in the long run.
24. Minnesota Timberwolves (17-50) (27) Taylor's critical comments about Garnett tanking before he left make him look like a backstabber on top of being a frugal owner.
25. Milwaukee Bucks (23-44) (24) When you overpay Bobby Simmons and Mo Williams, you're not going to keep a job in the NBA for very long.
26. Los Angeles Clippers (21-46) (25) So when is Elton going to come back? Speaking of injured players, I really feel bad for Shaun Livingston, all that talent and such a fragile body.
27. New York Knicks (19-48) (26) Can't the Knicks just put Isiah out of his misery? Hasn't he been dragged under the bus long enough?
28. Memphis Grizzlies (16-51) (29) If they tank and get lucky enough, maybe they can keep Derrick Rose in-state.
29. Seattle Supersonics (16-52) (28) 168 points in a game? Yup, I think it's safe to say they've quit on the season.
30. Miami Heat (12-55) (30) On the other end of the spectrum, the anemic Heat offense was comically bad against the Raptors with a 54-point outing. It should be noted that Kobe once scored 1/3 more points in a game against that team by himself.

Week 19 NBA Rankings

2008-03-13T16:26:00.000-07:00

1. Boston Celtics (51-12) (1) A big key to the Celts' latest 10-game winning streak has been the strong play of Kendrick Perkins, who's been a beast on the boards.
2. Houston Rockets (44-20) (5) The incredible 20-game winning streak almost came to a halt, but these Rockets will win low-scoring games if they have to, thanks to their incredible effort on the defensive end.
3. Los Angeles Lakers (45-19) (3) Bynum's slow recovery has to be troubling for a team that's still very reliant on Kobe's offense.
4. Detroit Pistons (46-18) (4) If the Pistons truly now have a second unit, it will make a difference if they make another deep run in the postseason.
5. New Orleans Hornets (43-20) (6) A 4-1 stretch for the Hornets since falling out of first was punctuated by a 25-point drubbing of the Spurs.
6. San Antonio Spurs (44-20) (2) Since the 10-game winning streak, the Spurs' offense has had a pair of anemic showings against Phoenix and NO in surrendering first place to the surging Rockets.
7. Utah Jazz (43-23) (7) The road woes are getting alarming as the Jazz lost to the Bulls and had to fight back in the 4th quarter to beat the woeful Bucks.
8. Golden State Warriors (40-23) (11) Monta Ellis has quietly had a huge year in Baron and Stevie Jax's shadow, with
9. Orlando Magic (42-24) (8) Porn 'stache Van Gundy deserves serious Coach of the Year consideration for leading a team with no real backcourt to such a strong season.
10. Phoenix Suns (42-22) (10) You saw a glimpse of what the Suns could be against the Spurs, but Shaq needs to bring it every night and the Suns have to shoot a lot better from the outside to compliment their big man.
11. Dallas Mavericks (42-23) (9) They continue to thrash the Eastern bottom feeders, but the Mavs have yet to get that elusive statement win against a top eight team in the West since the Kidd trade.
12. Denver Nuggets (38-26) (12) It's great to see K-Mart play with so much confidence. Soon he'll be grabbing his jersey and flashing the crowd like he did in New Jersey.
13. Cleveland Cavaliers (37-28) (13) When 24-11-10 is considered an off-night, that's when you know you're an elite player.
14. Portland Trail Blazers (34-31) (16) Oden returning to practice has to give the Blazers a lot of confidence going into next year.
15. Toronto Raptors (34-30) (14) As much depth as the Raptors have, they need Bosh in order to be taken seriously in the postseason.
16. Washington Wizards (31-32) (17) Butler picked the perfect time to come back, as the Wizards lost virtually no ground in his absence despite the initial slump.
17. Philadelphia 76ers (31-34) (15) Winning in Detroit has to do wonders for the Sixers' confidence should those two meet up in the playoffs.
18. Chicago Bulls (26-38) (20) Now is not a good time for lackluster efforts like the one against Boston with the Bulls' season still salvageable (That is, if you consider making the East playoffs with a record 10+ games under .500 salvageable.)
19. Sacramento Kings (28-35) (19) Spencer Hawes has played well lately, hoping to continue the Kings' legacy of agile white big men.
20. New Jersey Nets (26-37) (18) They have to be relieved that they don't have to play anyone from the Southwest Division anymore after getting blanked on their road trip.
21. Atlanta Hawks (26-38) (21) As badly as the Hawks have played, they can still win twice in a night when they play the Heat.
22. Indiana Pacers (25-39) (22) As much heat as Isiah takes for all the bad trades and signings the Knicks have made, who would have thought the Pacers are actually in a worse position salary cap-wise? Yet Bird continues to avoid blame for this.
23. Charlotte Bobcats (24-40) (24) Oh good, an Earl Boykins sighting. I was hoping he was still in the league.
24. Milwaukee Bucks (23-42) (23) Replacing Mo Williams with Royal Ivey is like replacing a Honda Civic with a Pinto. It's that lack of depth that's the reason the Bucks are still floundering in mediocrity.
25. Los Angeles Clippers (21-42) (25) Al Thornton has to be the only one mad that Elton's coming back. Oh, Maggette too, less shooting for him.
26. New York Knicks (19-46) (26) The Heat seem to be about the only team the Knicks can beat these days, and they still almost gift-wrapped that game.
27. Minnesota Timberwolves (14-49) (29) In just two days out in Cali, the Wolves doubled their road win total against the Kings and Clippers.
28. Seattle Supersonics (16-49) (27) It has to be depressing for the 20 fans that still care about the Sonics to watch Green and Durant play so well, knowing in a couple years, they're going to be putting people on their feet in Oklahoma City.
29. Memphis Grizzlies (15-49) (28) One of the few pluses has been the play of the Grizzlies' youngsters, particularly Conley, Warrick and Gay.
30. Miami Heat (11-52) (30) Riley picked a good time to go watch the NCAA Tournament, as these last 19 games will be unwatchable without Wade and Wright.

Week 18 NBA Rankings

2008-03-06T13:45:00.000-08:00

1. Boston Celtics (47-12) (2) Won the crucial showdown with Detroit to maintain a 4-game lead for home court advantage in the Eastern Conference.
2. San Antonio Spurs (42-17) (4) Never count out the defending champion as the Spurs have hit full stride at just the right time with their latest 10-game winning streak.
3. Los Angeles Lakers (43-18) (1) When his team needed him the most, Kobe once again stepped up huge with 52 in an overtime win over the Mavericks.
4. Detroit Pistons (44-17) (3) Signing Ratliff could prove to be a shrewd move for the Pistons if he has anything left in the tank.
5. Houston Rockets (40-20) (5) The more people doubt them, the stronger this team bonds, as the Rockets have now won 16 straight with TMac leading the charge and the role players stepping up.
6. New Orleans Hornets (41-19) (6) Welcome back Birdman! Your sub-par Slam Dunk performance still ranks in the bottom 5 all-time.
7. Utah Jazz (40-22) (8) At home, they're unbeatable with a 27-3 record, but for the Jazz to make a repeat run in the playoffs, they'll have to do better than a sub-.500 road record.
8. Orlando Magic (40-23) (10) Between the injuries and the turbulent backcourt play, it's amazing the Magic have performed at such a high level this year.
9. Dallas Mavericks (39-22) (7) The more I look at Dirk's hard foul on Kirilenko, the more I question it even being called a flagrant, much less warranting a suspension.
10. Phoenix Suns (40-21) (9) The defense isn't picking up much and with San Antonio and Utah in its next two games, the Suns need at least one win just to stay in the hunt for a top 4 spot.
11. Golden State Warriors (37-23) (11) While JRich got the last laugh, the Warriors can't be too happy with Brendan Wright's pedestrian 6-5 game against the Bobcats.
12. Denver Nuggets (36-24) (12) If Denver misses the playoffs, it maybe seriously time to adjust the format to only include the 16 teams with the best records.
13. Cleveland Cavaliers (35-26) (14) LeBron's Garden performance was truly memorable, everything from the 38-foot jump-shot to the near triple double he recorded to go with his 50 to him calling 50 and then pulling it off by hitting three straight threes.
14. Toronto Raptors (33-27) (13) Bosh better rest up that knee, as his presence is critical to the Raptors having any shot at advancing in the postseason.
15. Philadelphia 76ers (28-33) (15) Now 'Dre Miller's starting to step his game up, as he held his own against three of the premier PG's in the NBA last week.
16. Portland Trail Blazers (31-30) (16) With the playoffs almost certainly out of reach, the Blazers' next aim should be at maintaining a .500 record.
17. Washington Wizards (29-31) (17) They'd be in the 7th slot if they didn't somehow find a way to beat the Hornets twice in the last week.
18. New Jersey Nets (26-35) (18) If they couldn't win in Memphis, I'd be very surprised to see the Nets get one win on their five-game road trip against the Southwest Division, the toughest division in basketball.
19. Sacramento Kings (27-34) (19) If KJ becomes mayor of Sacramento, he'd instantly be the best PG living in Sacramento at the present moment.
20. Chicago Bulls (24-36) (20) If Luol Deng hadn't stopped, LeBron might have jumped over him, he was so high off the ground.
21. Atlanta Hawks (24-35) (21) They might be a playoff team if ownership had just let Billy Knight replace Mike Woodson with a real coach.
22. Indiana Pacers (24-37) (23) Who says the Pacers' time in the police blotter is over? We haven't even reached the offseason and it seems like half the team is an ex-con.
23. Milwaukee Bucks (23-38) (22) Welcome back Charlie! To think, he scored 32 in just three quarters, maybe he could have hit 40 with an extra 12 minutes.
24. Charlotte Bobcats (22-39) (26) Is there such thing as a concussion-prone NBA player? If there is, GWall comes closest to filling that definition.
25. Los Angeles Clippers (20-39) (24) I would hope Al Thornton's performing at a high level by now. He only needed six years of college.
26. New York Knicks (18-43) (25) LeBron's 50-point game might have meant more if Dolan hadn't turned the Knicks into the NBA's biggest joke.
27. Seattle Supersonics (16-45) (27) It's only a matter of time before David Stern allows one of the most illogical moves in NBA history by allowing the Sonics to skip town for Oklahoma City.
28. Memphis Grizzlies (15-46) (28) This is the team that really belongs in Oklahoma City, they just don't have a greedy enough owner.
29. Minnesota Timberwolves (12-48) (29) McHale's just torturing Antoine Walker for becoming fat and useless in Miami by not buying out his contract and making him freeze up in Minnesota.
30. Miami Heat (11-47) (30) I will know there's something to this "rigged lottery" theory if the Heat wind up with the #1 pick and land Michael Beasley.

Week 17 NBA Rankings

2008-02-28T16:09:00.000-08:00

1. Los Angeles Lakers (40-17) (4) Make that 10-1 and counting since the Gasol trade and the offense has put up over 110 points in 5 straight games during that stretch.
2. Boston Celtics (44-12) (1) Maybe PJ and Sam are just the veterans Boston needs to give them that edge in the postseason.
3. Detroit Pistons (42-16) (2) Lost in all the hoopla about LA, Boston and Phoenix, people forget these guys are pretty good, and they proved it by spanking the Suns by 30.
4. San Antonio Spurs (38-17) (6) Just when you think they're washed up, the Spurs go on another hot streak, winning ten of their last eleven with Ginobili leading the charge.
5. Houston Rockets (37-20) (8) Foreshadowing the 13-game surge are the looming questions of what impact Yao's foot surgery will have on the Rockets down the stretch.
6. New Orleans Hornets (38-18) (3) The Hornets rolled the dice with the Wells trade, but so far, the result has been snake eyes.
7. Dallas Mavericks (38-19) (10) Not convinced. Lets see them do against San Antonio what they did against those bottom feeders.
8. Utah Jazz (37-21) (7) You just can't get a read on this team. How does the same team that lost to the Clippers and Wolves in the last week find a way to beat the Pistons?
9. Phoenix Suns (39-19) (5) The Shaq buzz is over and now we begin to see the lingering problems the Suns are having with depth and slow-footed halfcourt defense.
10. Orlando Magic (37-23) (11) Amazingly, Lewis has yet to have a 30-point outburst this year, but his impact has been felt in the way Turkoglu's been getting freed up for shots.
11. Golden State Warriors (34-22) (12) You see how valuable Stephen Jackson is to this team when you consider they went 0-6 without him to start the year and their most recent listless home loss to the Hawks.
12. Denver Nuggets (34-23) (9) I liked this team a lot better when Bzdelik was the coach. At least they played defense.
13. Toronto Raptors (32-24) (14) This team is so ridiculously deep at forward, Kapono doesn't even get any burn, and as you saw in the 3-point shootout, he is deadly from range.
14. Cleveland Cavaliers (32-26) (13) Wallace and Varejao together can't replace Gooden's scoring, and we're only talking 10 ppg.
15. Philadelphia 76ers (26-32) (18) They're gaining confidence the longer they stay in the playoff crawl...errr...race in the Eastern Conference.
16. Portland Trail Blazers (30-28) (15) Is it just me or does Oden look like one of those 40-year-old dads trying to stay hip with the mohawk?
17. Washington Wizards (27-30) (19) 23 points in one half? With Arenas and Butler, didn't that used to be Washington's point total in half a quarter?
18. New Jersey Nets (25-32) (17) If you're playing Fantasy, I'd invest in Harris right now. I get a feeling his value is about to SHOOT UP!
19. Sacramento Kings (26-31) (16) It's past the trading deadline and Artest is still there. Hopefully the Kings remember to take cover in case Hurricane Ron has another outburst.
20. Chicago Bulls (23-34) (20) So who's contract is worse? Larry Hughes or Ben Wallace? Shouldn't Paxson and Ferry be investigated for money laundering?
21. Atlanta Hawks (23-32) (21) On paper, this looks like a playoff team next year, possibly this year too if the Hawks can get consistent production from their front line.
22. Milwaukee Bucks (22-35) (23) Lately the Bucks have been playing the spoiler role as their shooters have found their touch again.
23. Indiana Pacers (22-36) (22) Wow, another criminal investigation involving a Pacer. And we thought Bird traded away all the problems when he dealt Artest and Jackson. How wrong we were.
24. Los Angeles Clippers (19-36) (24) And the most talked-about contract buyout has finally happened as Cassell is no longer a Clipper.
25. New York Knicks (18-39) (26) Lee and Robinson are like roses growing out of a gigantic pile of garbage.
26. Charlotte Bobcats (19-38) (25) Jordan should just stick to Nike, this is the second team he's completely run into the ground.
27. Seattle Supersonics (15-42) (27) The most exciting part of a bad team's season is about to begin. We get to find out how the Sonics survive the last 25 games with expiring contracts. Let the tanking begin!
28. Memphis Grizzlies (14-43) (28) Its a matter of time before Lowry finds a new address and a wonder he wasn't part of Memphis's garage sale.
29. Minnesota Timberwolves (12-44) (29) Big Al is no joke, he's one of only six players to average a double-double in points in rebounds.
30. Miami Heat (10-44) (30) At long last, the losing streak is over! On a sider, why is Riley playing scrubs like Quinn and Barron and not playing Ricky Davis?

Week 16 NBA Rankings

2008-02-21T14:10:00.000-08:00

1. Boston Celtics (41-11) (1) Boston tries playing at a fast pace and it costs them against two of the highest scoring teams in the NBA.
2. Detroit Pistons (39-15) (2) The Pistons get off to a rather inauspicious start as they get blown out at home by the Magic and fall behind by 21, failing to come back against the Bucks.
3. New Orleans Hornets (37-15) (3) On the same court with Jason Kidd, Paul puts on yet another masterful performance, nearly recording a triple double in points, assists and steals.
4. Los Angeles Lakers (37-17) (5) In the big showdown in Phoenix, Kobe got the better of Shaq and the Lakers clearly looked like the team more in synch in a game that could shift divisional leaders in the Pacific Division.
5. Phoenix Suns (37-17) (4) Well, the big fella played and at times looked dominant, but he must get in shape to keep up with Nash, Stoudamire and company.
6. San Antonio Spurs (35-17) (6) Getting Kurt Thomas is exactly what the Spurs needed, as they now have an enforcer who will battle the tougher PF's in the West to keep the pressure off Duncan.
7. Utah Jazz (35-19) (8) Keep an eye on Carlos Boozer, who's now day-to-day with a sore lower back.
8. Houston Rockets (33-20) (10) Even after winning nine straight games, the Rockets oddly sent their best reserve in Bonzi Wells to the divison rival Hornets in exchange for Bobby Jackson.
9. Denver Nuggets (33-20) (9) Winning at home against Boston was big, but a potential trade for Artest could be even bigger.
10. Dallas Mavericks (35-19) (7) Three words to sum up the deal: Kidd got worked! That's all for today.
11. Orlando Magic (34-22) (12) I want to thank Dwight Howard for putting on the best Slam Dunk Contest performance ever for a big man and raising the bar for creativity to new heights.
12. Golden State Warriors (33-21) (11) The league better be put on alert: Baron didn't make the Western Conference squad.
13. Cleveland Cavaliers (30-24) (13) Cleveland got a shooter, an instant-offense reserve, a defender, and an ex-3X defensive player of the year and all they had to give up was Larry Hughes and Drew Gooden.
14. Toronto Raptors (29-23) (14) Jamario Moon would have made the finals if they still did the six-man format in the Dunk Contest. His dunks were outrageous!
15. Portland Trail Blazers (28-25) (15) It was good to see Roy represent in the All-Star game, but his team has cooled off considerably and should now focus on next year while waiting for Oden to arrive.
16. Sacramento Kings (25-28) (16) The Kings were patient and got a decent return for Mike Bibby. Rebuilding teams can always use cap space.
17. New Jersey Nets (24-30) (18) As an added bonus to getting Devin Harris, the Nets got a 25-point game out of Marcus Williams in his second start after the Kidd trade.
18. Philadelphia 76ers (24-31) (20) Great day for Philly when they sign Cheeks to an extension and then proceed to thump the Knicks by 40.
19. Washington Wizards (25-28) (17) Washington better not fall too far with New Jersey and Philly right on their tails in the playoff race.
20. Chicago Bulls (21-31) (22) With Hughes and Gooden in the mix, the Bulls can now focus on rebuilding for next year.
21. Atlanta Hawks (21-30) (19) I thought the Bibby trade was supposed to make the Hawks better, now here they go losing six in a row, including dropping one to Mike's ex-team.
22. Indiana Pacers (21-33) (21) Well, the trading deadline has come and gone, so stay tuned for the offseason when the Pacers really do deal Jermaine.
23. Milwaukee Bucks (20-34) (23) Good for Charlie V for working his butt off after losing his job to Yi and again earning the starting role at PF.
24. Los Angeles Clippers (18-33) (24) The only suspense left in the Clippers' season is how many weeks it takes Brand to come back.
25. Charlotte Bobcats (19-35) (25) Wow, even in today's game with the no-contact rules, the Bobcats prove that you can still score below 70 points if you shoot bad enough.
26. New York Knicks (16-38) (26) The funny thing is, the 40-point loss to Philly wasn't even the Knicks' worst loss this season.
27. Seattle Supersonics (14-38) (28) All Seattle got for Wally and West was Ira Newble and Donyell Marshall??? Wow, between that and the "talent" they got for Kurt Thomas, you know a move is in the works.
28. Memphis Grizzlies (14-40) (27) Hakim Warrick is finally getting his chance to shine and doing quite well, scoring over 20 in four of his last five games since getting the starting job at PF in the wake of the Gasol trade.
29. Minnesota Timberwolves (11-41) (29) That birthday cake dunk was the cheesiest thing I've ever seen!
30. Miami Heat (9-42) (30) It still boggles the mind that this is the same team two years removed from an NBA title.

Week 15 NBA Rankings

2008-02-13T12:29:00.000-08:00

1. Boston Celtics (40-9) (1) The combination of Scalabrine, Powe and Big Baby is doing more than it's fair share to ease the loss of KG.
2. Detroit Pistons (38-13) (2) They just keep quietly rolling along, winning nine in a row to stay well within striking distance of that top spot in the East.
3. New Orleans Hornets (35-15) (5) Everyone in the media's buzzing about the Lakers, Suns and Mavs and their big trades, but New Orleans remains in the thick of things after winning their second straight in Phoenix.
4. Phoenix Suns (36-15) (3) Shaq says all the right things, but is he really ready to take a backseat to Nash and Amare? Time will tell.
5. Los Angeles Lakers (34-17) (4) Frankly, I haven't seen Kobe this happy since 2002, and to think, Bynum isn't even back yet.
6. San Antonio Spurs (33-17) (8) I keep getting that feeling that they're just saving their energy for the second half, much like last year.
7. Dallas Mavericks (34-17) (7) Now Dallas is trying to keep up in the West! But did they give up too much for Kidd? Never a good idea to trade a PG who's more than 10 years younger and has a chance to be a top-tier guard by 28.
8. Utah Jazz (33-19) (6) And I hope every aspiring star learned a good lesson from Deron Williams. If you get snubbed and play out of your mind as a result, good things will happen as Williams gets on the team as an injury replacement.
9. Denver Nuggets (32-19) (10) And look who's right on Utah's heels again after four straight road wins and winning six of their last seven.
10. Houston Rockets (31-20) (12) 11 wins in their last 12 games, yet the Rockets still can't quite get over the hump and into that 8th seed.
11. Golden State Warriors (31-20) (11) What is the NBA coming to when Mickeal Pietrus starts making trade demands?
12. Orlando Magic (32-21) (9) Then again, it could be worse if you're a Magic fan and stuck with JJ Redick's griping. At least Pietrus has shown some level of talent in the NBA.
13. Cleveland Cavaliers (29-22) (13) LeBron can't do everything, that much is apparent, but they need Gooden and Varejao healthy for the stretch run, as they got dominated without them against Houston and Denver.
14. Toronto Raptors (27-23) (15) Great minds do think alike! I say Jamario's gonna jump over the moon two weeks ago and now he says he's got a dunk that will defy gravity! Stay Tuned...
15. Portland Trail Blazers (28-23) (14) The same early road magic that helped propel the Blazers on their 15-game winning streak seems to have deserted them lately.
16. Sacramento Kings (23-27) (16) All these Western Conference Bigwig teams are making moves, but the Kings' best move is to stand pat, let this group of young talent develop, and eventually hop into the playoff picture when all the good teams fall.
17. Washington Wizards (24-27) (17) Yet another Eastern Conference team with a big losing streak that's somehow still seeded. Just getting Butler and Arenas back may be enough for this team to trudge into the playoffs around the .500 mark.
18. New Jersey Nets (23-29) (20) Getting Harris, Stackhouse and a few expiring contracts is a great long-term move for New Jersey. Now all they gotta do is trade Vince and Jefferson and they'll have even more cap room.
19. Atlanta Hawks (21-27) (18) What if the Suns are playing on the same day as the "overtime redo" game the Hawks play against the Heat? Can Shaq be in two places at once?
20. Philadelphia 76ers (22-30) (21) So with the Nets rebuilding and no other team making any real move for the final spot, could this young Sixers team actually make the playoffs and thus be a year ahead of schedule?
21. Indiana Pacers (21-31) (24) One of the few bright spots has been the strong-but-largely-unnoticed play of Danny Granger. Good thing this fantasy owner notices.
22. Chicago Bulls (21-32) (19) The funny thing is, the Bulls were in a similar position two years ago when they caught fire down the stretch and snuck into the playoffs as a 7th seed.
23. Milwaukee Bucks (19-33) (22) Look at it this way, Milwaukee, you still have two months before the Brewers' season starts and you still have good beer and cheese.
24. Los Angeles Clippers (17-32) (25) I wonder if Cassell was going Tonya Harding on Rondo, who he may have to back up in a couple weeks once the Clippers put him on waivers.
25. Charlotte Bobcats (18-34) (23) As the injuries and losses pile up, the 'Cats can look forward to another year in lottery-land.
26. New York Knicks (15-36) (26) You know it's getting bad when this team is joyously celebrating a one-point road win in Milwaukee.
27. Memphis Grizzlies (14-37) (27) I'll give Rudy Gay this: at least he has the foresight to get suggestions through YouTube instead of stealing other players' dunks, as Slam Dunk competitors have done in the past.
28. Seattle Supersonics (13-37) (29) Oklahoma City Supersonics? Keep them in Seattle, let the Utah Jazz hold their reign as the team with the most puzzling nickname in the NBA.
29. Minnesota Timberwolves (10-40) (29) How does McHale defend trading Garnett without TWolves fans throwing him through a plate-glass window?
30. Miami Heat (9-41) (30) This team is either really bad, snakebitten, or both, but the losing never seems to stop. And how does Riley not get any draft picks for Shaq?

Week 14 NBA Rankings

2008-02-06T12:51:00.000-08:00

1. Boston Celtics (36-9) (3) Garnett's MVP argument may have picked up steam, as the Celtics aren't nearly the same defensively without him.
2. Detroit Pistons (34-13) (4) Detroit got a statement home win on Super Bowl Sunday by dominating the Mavs with Sheed doing a bulk of the damage.
3. Phoenix Suns (34-14) (2) Is it just me, or did Steve Kerr just hit the panic button? #1 Shaq isn't nearly the same player he was even three years ago and #2 last I checked, Phoenix is a running team and Shaq is aging, out of shape and has a bad hip. Hopefully for the Suns' sake he flunks his physical.
4. Los Angeles Lakers (31-16) (7) The Lakers' offense just got a lot more potent with Gasol arriving. Kobe must be thrilled that he can get away with a 6-point game and his team still wins comfortably.
5. New Orleans Hornets (32-15) (1) BAM! Just like that, the 9-game winning streak comes to a halt as the Hornets' defense surrenders over 110 points in 3 straight games.
6. Utah Jazz (31-18) (6) Easy Deron! Easy! Lets just say Paul got thoroughlly owned, being outscored 29-6 and out-assisted 11-6. As for Williams, you'll get that All-Star berth next year! Coaches can't sleep on you forever!
7. Dallas Mavericks (32-15) (5) Dirk's gotta play tougher if this team wants to erase the bitterness of last year's meltdown. Sheed just flat out dominated him!
8. San Antonio Spurs (30-16) (9) As long as the D keeps locking folks down, they can ease their way through this offensive funk and start their usual 2nd half surge.
9. Orlando Magic (31-19) (8) Benching Nelson may have to do for now, as he's got to start living up to his contract sooner or later.
10. Denver Nuggets (29-18) (14) Beating Portland was big, but Denver now must win against Utah to stay in a divisional race that figures to come down to the last week of the season.
11. Golden State Warriors (29-19) (10) Will we ever know what Webber paid CJ Watson to get his #4 back?
12. Houston Rockets (28-20) (12) If Yao and Yi had met up a month earlier and McGrady had the same 33-point game, he'd probably be a starter on the All-Star team right now.
13. Cleveland Cavaliers (27-20) (11) LeBron does in the Celtics again, giving his team loads of confidence should these two meet up again with higher stakes.
14. Portland Trail Blazers (27-20) (13) As hard as they try, there's only so much you can do when Iverson or LeBron wants the ball in the closing seconds.
15. Toronto Raptors (26-21) (16) TJ will have to work to get his starting job back with Calderon owning folks while he was recovering.
16. Sacramento Kings (22-24) (17) Theus deserves a lot of credit for keeping this team afloat while its three stars missed time with injuries/suspensions.
17. Washington Wizards (24-23) (15) Lets hold all that "they're better without Arenas" talk, because the Wiz won't beat anyone if they play sloppy on defense.
18. Atlanta Hawks (20-24) (18) They're still in the playoff race and inexplicably still haven't traded Josh Childress for a good PG.
19. Chicago Bulls (19-28) (20) Noah is making the most out of his starts with Smith out, doing wonders for his confidence.
20. New Jersey Nets (20-28) (22) Well, the Nets made a huge deal this week. They got Stromile Swift for Jason Collins. Yippee!
21. Philadelphia 76ers (19-30) (24) Young and Carney continue to shine when given the chance and the Sixers' future looks bright with them stepping their games up.
22. Milwaukee Bucks (19-30) (23) Yi blew the one chance he had to give the Bucks' season meaning by not showing up against Yao.
23. Charlotte Bobcats (18-31) (19) The bottom line is it's very hard to win when your bench can't produce any offense.
24. Indiana Pacers (19-30) (21) Could O'Neal really be that hurt or is he just trying to tank the Pacers' season?
25. Los Angeles Clippers (15-30) (26) Maybe the Clippers should ask their fans to play while they continue to miss half the roster with injuries.
26. New York Knicks (14-34) (25) The minute I pick up Nate Robinson, he goes 0-for-9! I am a jinx on some of these waiver-wire guys!
27. Memphis Grizzlies (13-35) (27) They maybe terrible now, but in three years, the Grizz may reap the benefits from trading Gasol.
28. Minnesota Timberwolves (10-37) (30) So will the fans boo or cheer KG when he comes back to the Twin Cities in his soopafly blazer?
29. Seattle Supersonics (12-36) (28) Durant with another game winner! He just keeps getting better and better folks!
30. Miami Heat (9-37) (29) At least with Marion, a healthy Wade has an open-floor running mate. Now they just need ten more players who can actually do something.

Super Bowl XLII Prediction

2008-02-02T07:59:00.000-08:00

Super Bowl XLII
New England vs. New York Giants
Line: Patriots by 12
This Super Bowl is for history, as the Patriots have a chance to accomplish something that has no team has ever accomplished: a 19-0 season. Winning the Super Bowl will immortalize the Patriots with the 72 Dolphins and the 34 Bears as the only teams to finish a season completely unscathed. It will certainly open the debate for this team being perhaps the greatest ever. All that stands in their way is a resilient Giants team that used and end-of-season loss to the Patriots as motivation to surge through the NFC as the surprise representative. They beat the Packers and Cowboys in resilient fashion to get there and their QB showed championship poise to deliver the Giants to their fourth appearance in the big game. Eli will have to again play a perfect game if his Giants are to stand a chance against this Pats team. That means making the smart throws he's been making and giving the ball to Jacobs and Bradshaw as much as possible. It also means spreading the field by getting Steve Smith and Kevin Boss involved in the middle along with Toomer and Burress on the outside. If the Giants' protection holds, Manning could make plays, but he needs to be wary of Samuel and Hobbs, who are opportunistic CB's who can take advantage of poorly-placed throws. Defensively, the Giants have to get pressure on Brady. They have a diverse enough pass-rush to give Brady the same kind of problems teams like Baltimore and Philadelphia did in the regular season. What New England has shown teams, though is that on Brady's worst day, they have enough of a rushing attack to move the football. Laurence Maroney has two consecutive 100-yard rushing games and Kevin Faulk remains a huge 3rd down weapon. The Giants will be game, but they just won't have enough on defense to stop the never-ending dimension of the Patriots' offense. Patriots 37, Giants 27

Conference Championship Games vs Spread: 2-0
Conference Championship Games Straight Up: 1-1
Season vs Spread: 137-124-9
Season Straight up: 169-81

Week 13 NBA Rankings

2008-01-30T13:07:00.001-08:00

1. New Orleans Hornets (32-12) (3) The more they win, the louder the Chris Paul-for-MVP talk gets. Oh, and David West deserves to be an All-Star.
2. Phoenix Suns (33-13) (2) Grant just can never catch a break. He recovers from an appendectomy, then his back gives out.
3. Boston Celtics (35-8) (1) This is exactly what the critics were talking about. How does this team respond with KG and Ray-Ray going down?
4. Detroit Pistons (32-13) (6) With 7 of their next 8 games in the Palace, the Pistons have a chance to put a stranglehold on the Central.
5. Dallas Mavericks (31-13) (5) Can they now survive the recent injury bug that's forced key contributors like Stackhouse, Bass and Harris out?
6. Utah Jazz (27-18) (10) Kirilenko's strong impact is being felt on both ends as the Jazz have surged back into 1st place with a 10-2 month.
7. Los Angeles Lakers (28-15) (4) There will be many more battles to come between these two superstars, but it looks like 'Bron got the better of this matchup.
8. Orlando Magic (28-18) (11) Hedo! Hedo! Where did this come from?? It's like the guy just transformed into a different player overnight.
9. San Antonio Spurs (28-16) (7) As of right now, signing Stoudamire is looking like a pretty good idea. If arrests start taking place though, you'll know who the leader of the drug ring was on the Jail Blazers.
10. Golden State Warriors (27-19) (13) Webber and Nelson. Reunited at last. What will probably happen is they'll kiss and make up, but Webber's balky knees will prevent him from having the kind of impact the Warriors expect of him.
11. Cleveland Cavaliers (24-19) (12) Be honest. You were a witness too. LeBron just told his team "Hop on my back, I'll take you to the promised land" and with that, broke Kobe's ankles.
12. Houston Rockets (25-20) (14) Yao's held up his end, now it's McGrady's turn if he could just get back in the court consistently. Meanwhile, Scola has taken over the starting role and won't look back.
13. Portland Trail Blazers (26-18) (8) After losing two straight and falling behind by 19 to the Hawks, the Blazers had every reason to fold in the tent. But there is something different about this squad, they just keep finding new ways to win.
14. Denver Nuggets (26-18) (9) This offense looks pretty average without Carmelo. It's basically AI and four guys watching AI dribble.
15. Washington Wizards (24-19) (15) Jamison and Butler deserve all the credit in the world for keeping this team afloat without Arenas.
16. Toronto Raptors (24-20) (16) Can't wait to see Jamario jump over the Moon in the Slam Dunk Contest.
17. Sacramento Kings (19-24) (17) Kevin Martin: The NBA's Official Best Player You've Never Heard Of.
18. Atlanta Hawks (18-23) (19) Is it just me, or did this team quit after falling behind against Phoenix? Disgraceful that this is still technically a playoff team.
19. Charlotte Bobcats (18-27) (20) Be honest. Nobody thought Gerald Wallace would turn out this good.
20. Chicago Bulls (18-26) (21) Where were these 30-point games from Hinrich at the beginning of the year?
21. Indiana Pacers (19-27) (18) At some point, Larry the Legend does get fired for this team's gradual collapse into anonymity, right?
22. New Jersey Nets (19-26) (23) Lose 9 straight, win a game, and you're back in the 8th seed with a disgruntled PG begging to be traded, two injury-prone swingmen and no bench to speak of. See how easy it is in the East?
23. Milwaukee Bucks (18-28) (22) Yi just needs to get nasty. Yao had to do it. At some point, he needs to get angry and just dunk on everyone in sight.
24. Philadelphia 76ers (17-28) (24) Dre Miller just doesn't belong on this team. He needs to be traded to a real team.
25. New York Knicks (14-30) (25) Marbury's absence hasn't been all bad, as it's allowed Nasty Nate to unload on a bevy of unsuspecting PG's.
26. Los Angeles Clippers (13-28) (26) If they had anything close to a winning record, Kaman would be a lock for the All-Star team.
27. Memphis Grizzlies (13-32) (27) Chris Wallace just loves paying guys to not play on his team. He did it last year to Eddie Jones and is doing the same thing with Damon.
28. Seattle Supersonics (10-35) (29) When they all said he'd hit the wall, Durant responded by burying the Spurs and the Sonics' 14-game losing streak with his clutch shooting.
29. Miami Heat (9-34) (30) And the Miami Heat crowd roared as the Heat matched the '72-73 Sixers' win total with more than half a season to play.
30. Minnesota Timberwolves (8-36) (28) Gerald Green's in the Slam Dunk Contest? I wasn't even sure if he was still playing, he's buried so deep on the bench.

Week 12 NBA Rankings

2008-01-23T13:38:00.000-08:00

1. Boston Celtics (33-6) (1) KG slapping the bling off Doc's wrist has to be the NBA's funniest first half moment.
2. Phoenix Suns (30-12) (6) They capitalized on the Bynum-less Lakers, sparking a four-game winning streak that has allowed the Suns to take back division control.
3. New Orleans Hornets (28-12) (7) Be honest. No one thought this team would be in 1st by the halfway point, but when healthy, this team can do some damage.
4. Los Angeles Lakers (27-12) (3) First Bynum, then Ariza? Does a second half collapse seem inevitable?
5. Dallas Mavericks (27-13) (4) Bottom line is their offense still has to be perfect because they just don't scare anyone on defense.
6. Detroit Pistons (29-13) (2) If this is as bad as it gets for Detroit and they're still 16 over .500, that tells you something about the expectations around that team.
7. San Antonio Spurs (26-13) (5) One thing that definitely breaks the Spurs way is that even as they struggle, no one's really running away in the West.
8. Portland Trail Blazers (25-16) (8) How many game-winners has Outlaw hit this season?
9. Denver Nuggets (24-16) (10) I still have no idea how Linas Kleiza scored 41 points.
10. Utah Jazz (24-18) (9) You listening Boozer?? Don't start going in the tank just because you have a contract in a few years. Linas Kleiza???
11. Orlando Magic (26-17) (11) Winning those home games against the Magic and Blazers was huge. I mean HUGE!
12. Cleveland Cavaliers (22-18) (13) All 11 of LeBron's teammates, his coaches and his GM better chip in when he throws one of his mansion parties. He's keeping guys like Hughes and Illgauskas looking good on the court and Mike Brown looking good on the sidelines while Ferry can sign whatever stiff he wants and LeBron will still make him look good.
13. Golden State Warriors (25-18) (12) Ryan Gomes's performance is no surprise when you consider GS has no one who can adequately guard small, stocky post players.
14. Houston Rockets (22-19) (15) Yao's been going nuts since TMac got hurt and he pretty much has to since the team has no other reliable 4th quarter options.
15. Washington Wizards (22-17) (14) If this team is capable of beating teams like Dallas and Boston without Arenas, wait till he gets back healthy!
16. Toronto Raptors (22-19) (16) Bosh's huge statistical outburst has put me within spitting distance of first place in my fantasy league.
17. Sacramento Kings (18-22) (19) If this team played in the East, they'd be a top 4 team, but being in the West, they're counting on at least two teams to collapse for this run to mean anything.
18. Indiana Pacers (19-23) (21) You can pretty much cross out any trade rumors if O'Neal's willing to sit out all year to rehab the knee.
19. Atlanta Hawks (17-20) (17) If they don't win a game on their next road trip, the Hawks might as well start tanking again.
20. Charlotte Bobcats (16-25) (20) With most of their road games still ahead and the team's 2-13 record away from home, Charlotte better grow up in a hurry.
21. Chicago Bulls (16-24) (23) When you drop from 1st in the league in defensive efficiency to middle-of-the-pack, it explains the record much better.
22. Milwaukee Bucks (16-26) (22) They're too finesse. If they would spend as much money on power players as they do on shooters, they'd be set.
23. New Jersey Nets (18-23) (18) You know it's going bad when the Knicks hold regional bragging rights.
24. Philadelphia 76ers (16-26) (24) Win or lose, you have to like the potential this team has through all the youth they've accumulated through the draft.
25. New York Knicks (13-28) (26) The Knicks are finally starting to win consistently and show some effort, but the problem is they should have been doing this from Day 1 with the kind of talent they have.
26. Los Angeles Clippers (12-25) (25) Don Sterling is actually blaming the only coach who's led the Clips anywhere beyond lottery land in the past two decades?
27. Memphis Grizzlies (12-29) (27) It should be a fun second half with the youngsters such as Conley and Gay developing and every annoying Gasol trade rumor filling the TV screen.
28. Minnesota Timberwolves (6-34) (28) It seems like the TWolves have some post talent. Now if they just had some guards to get Gomes and Jefferson the ball consistently...
29. Seattle Supersonics (9-32) (28) Durant is looking like he hit the wall, and hard.
30. Miami Heat (8-32) (30) It's been truly sad to watch Shaq deteroirate and Wade play recklessly hard on Team Ineptitude.

NFL Conference Championship Predictions

2008-01-19T12:46:00.001-08:00

AFC Championship
San Diego at New England
Line: Patriots by 14.5
At about this time last year, everyone was down on the Chargers, criticizing the team's inability to step up in big games and Marty Schottenheimer took the rap for it. He was canned in favor of Norv Turner, a move that raised eyebrows throughout Charger Nation. After all, Marty was coming off a 14-2 season before his team's 2nd round meltdown against the Pats. Four weeks into the regular season, the Chargers were 1-3, coming off an embarrassing home loss to the Chiefs, and every person in San Diego was about ready to throw Turner off a cliff. Suddenly, however, the team started clicking, as they'd win 12 of their next 14 games following an astute trade for Chris Chambers. The offense diversified as Philip Rivers stepped up his play in the second half. By playoff time, the Chargers had developed a versatile enough passing attack to the point where they didn't even need to rely on LT and Gates. Those two, in fact, have done little in the Chargers' two playoff wins. Tomlinson has a combined 70 yards in two games and missed almost the entire Colts' game with a hyperextended knee. Gates hasn't played since the first half of the Chargers' Wild Card victory over the Titans. Down the stretch of the Chargers' thrilling 28-24 win over the Colts, Rivers had to sit out with a sprained knee that has left him questionable going into this weekend. With all those injuries, most teams would have folded tent, but Norv made adjustment after adjustment to get this team within a win of the Super Bowl. That win, however, will be a daunting task, as they travel into New England to face a team chasing history. The Patriots are hoping to run the table in the AFC unblemished. They ran roughshod over their first eight opponents, with none of their victories being closer than 17 points. In the second half, the defense started to stagnate and the team had to face a few close calls, but every time a game was in doubt, league MVP Tom Brady captianed the Pats' unstoppable offensive attack to key touchdowns to close teams out. This game will certainly be closer than the Week 2 blowout. This is a different Chargers team, one that has a more diverse attack and an aura of confidence from slugging their way past two tough AFC North opponents. At the end of the day, however, they still won't have enough weapons to keep pace with the most potent offense in NFL History. Patriots 35, Chargers 24

NFC Championship Game
New York Giants at Green Bay
Line: Packers by 7.5
For the first time in a long time, the NFC Title game carries with it as much intrigue as the AFC Title game, if not more. And what could be more enjoyable for football purists than this throwback matchup. A lot of people like to attribute the Giants' surprising playoff run to their close loss to the Patriots. The truth is, I don't know a team out there that uses a loss as motivation, even a close loss to an undefeated team. The truth is, this team turned the corner when they won their Week 13 game in Chicago. It was a rugged defensive struggle in cold conditions, but they managed to gut out a 21-16 win in a game in which they were really outplayed until the 4th quarter. They rallied from a 9-point deficit and since then, they've played with the type of resolve that's allowed them to upset a 13-win team like Dallas. Having won 9 straight road games and gunning for 10, the Giants face what is easily their toughest road test of the season. The Packers have lost once in Lambeau and looked dominant in the snow in their 42-20 rout of the Seahawks, a game that probably would have been 42-6 if not for two early Ryan Grant fumbles. The temperature is expected to be five below zero at kickoff with untold levels of wind chill. The Giants will be game, as they've prided themselves on playing well in bad weather. They won a week 16 matchup in Buffalo in conditions almost as brutal. If Eli can manage the game and spread the defense with short passes to his 3rd receiver and TE, Steve Smith and Kevin Boss, he'll open the middle of the field for Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw to do damage. At the end of the day, though, the Giants probably don't have enough weapons to keep up with a Packers team that has learned to run the football to compliment their potent passing attack. Packers 23, Giants 20

Divisional Playoff Games vs Spread 3-1
Divisional Playoff Games Straight Up 2-2
Season vs Spread 135-124-9
Season Straight up 168-80

Week 11 NBA Rankings

2008-01-16T07:25:00.002-08:00

1. Boston Celtics (30-6) (1) The Celtics' offense has suddenly gone flat, as they've failed to reach 90 points in any of their last four games.
2. Detroit Pistons (29-10) (2) Followed a convincing road victory over the Spurs with a surprisingly bad performance against the Knicks.
3. Los Angeles Lakers (26-11) (7) They sit atop the West for now, but can the team survive the next two months without Bynum?
4. Dallas Mavericks (26-12) (3) Stack comes through big with a game-winner against the Clippers.
5. San Antonio Spurs (25-11) (6) Could Father Time be catching up with this team? It just doesn't have the legs at times against quicker, deeper opponents.
6. Phoenix Suns (26-12) (5) Hill's injury could be costly, as Phoenix doesn't have a ton of depth.
7. New Orleans Hornets (25-12) (4) Since when does Bobby Jackson shoot threes? He couldn't miss them against Miami.
8. Portland Trail Blazers (23-14) (8) After a grueling double-overtime loss to the Raptors, the Blazers come out two nights later and thrash the Nets by 26.
9. Utah Jazz (22-17) (12) I'd say the Jazz made a good trade, as they're now 6-1 since picking up Kyle Korver.
10. Denver Nuggets (22-15) (9) If the Nugs lose to the Jazz on Thursday, they could suddenly find themselves in 3rd place on the outside of the playoff race.
11. Orlando Magic (24-16) (10) Orlando's left searching for answers after losing three of four on the road, including back-to-back losses to the Nuggets and Jazz.
12. Golden State Warriors (23-16) (11) The Warriors have a chance to climb into the division race with each of their next six games against teams with losing records.
13. Cleveland Cavaliers (20-18) (13) LeBron should have given the police officer season tickets or at least said he was practicing to become a NASCAR driver.
14. Washington Wizards (20-17) (16) They won back-to-back games against the Celtics and were riding an emotional high, but then suddenly fell flat against the Knicks.
15. Houston Rockets (20-19) (14) A five-game winning streak goes by the wayside with two fourth quarter collapses in consecutive home losses.
16. Toronto Raptors (20-18) (18) Bosh is suddenly coming to life with back-to-back games of 40 and 38.
17. Atlanta Hawks (17-17) (17) There's a position opening in Atlanta for a new scorekeeper.
18. New Jersey Nets (18-19) (16) This team has too much talent to have trouble scoring 80 in a game.
19. Sacramento Kings (15-21) (22) Martin's come back, Bibby's on his way, and this team will be hella scary once Artest fully recovers from surgery.
20. Charlotte Bobcats (14-23) (24) Winning in Boston was a huge confidence booster, as the Bobcats have played very competitively since.
21. Indiana Pacers (17-22) (20) Whether the games are close or one-sided Indy just can't seem to catch a break as they've stumbled to a 2-9 record since they peaked at 15-13.
22. Milwaukee Bucks (15-23) (19) The starting five is decent, but Milwaukee needs to get a more talented bench. It's hard to win when guys like Royal Ivey and Michael Ruffin are your best backups.
23. Chicago Bulls (14-22) (21) I bet Noah misses playing for Donovan now. That's gotta be a new low, having your own teammates bench you.
24. Philadelphia 76ers (15-24) (23) Patience is the key, but you have to love the way Williams and Young played in Houston. The team has a lot of good young talent.
25. Los Angeles Clippers (11-23) (25) I guess Bynum's injury puts Kaman in the All-Star game.
26. New York Knicks (11-26) (28) Maybe the team is finally rallying around Isiah in his 11th hour.
27. Memphis Grizzlies (10-28) (26) It only took half a season, but Conley is just now starting to get minutes.
28. Seattle Supersonics (9-28) (27) The surprising play of rookie Jeff Green has been a huge plus, as Seattle may look back on this draft in time as the turning point.
29. Minnesota Timberwolves (5-32) (29) Jefferson's strong play has been the one bright spot in an otherwise dismal season.
30. Miami Heat (8-28) (30) The good news is they can at least wait a couple months before that loss to Atlanta becomes official.

NFL Divisional Playoff Predictions

2008-01-11T07:14:00.000-08:00

Seattle at Green Bay
Line: Packers by 8
News flash: Seattle is good. They have a defense that can rush the passer and throw guys out of rhythm. They have the coach too who knows all of Green Bay's (and Brett Favre's) tendencies, having coached him and having developed his backup into one of the best starting QB's in the NFL. If the last playoff meeting was any indicator, this should also be a thrilling game, but in the end I think Green Bay will outlast Seattle with a more balaced offensive attack. Packers 30, Seahawks 27

Jacksonville at New England
Line: Patriots by 13.5
The trendy upset pick is here. The Patriots have completed the regular season undefeated, coaxing some of the most bizarre behavior from Mercury Morris, whose crack-induced rap verse about going undefeated almost had me in tears. Back to the game though, Jacksonville does the two things that you need to do to beat the Patriots, they run the football and rush the passer equally well. If they fall behind, however, I don't think they can play catchup against an offense as potent as New England's, and I'm guessing Brady will find enough mismatches in the secondary to get some important early scores. Patriots 34, Jaguars 24

San Diego at Indianapolis
Line: Colts by 9
The matchup of the weekend, as these are the two most talented teams in the AFC outside of New England. The problem is the Chargers seem to have a habit of falling behind against all the good teams. One thing we know about Indy's offense, too, is that once they get off to a good start, you're pretty much buried for the rest of the game. Unless San Diego gets off to a hot start and Phillip Rivers plays a mistake-free game, they'll have a difficult time playing catch-up with a team as talented as the Colts, especially without Antonio Gates. Colts 31, Chargers 24

New York Giants at Dallas
Line: Cowboys by 7.5
While the Giants are 0-2 against the Cowboys this season, both losses were relatively close, with the Cowboys' offense performing at a very high level. This game should even out a bit more, with the Cowboys' offense looking fairly mortal as of late and the Giants coming on down the stretch with an eye-popping 8-1 road record. I think this game will be close, but Dallas's offensive line will do enough to protect Romo, who in turn will use his favorite target, Jason Witten, to do in the GMen. Cowboys 27, Giants 24

Wild Card Games vs Spread 2-2
Wild Card Games Straight up 3-1
Season vs Spread 132-123-9
Season Straight up 166-78

Week 10 NBA Rankings

2008-01-09T06:53:00.000-08:00

1. Boston Celtics (29-3) (1) The Pistons did their job and stopped the Big Three, but Big Baby Davis was too much of a load inside.
2. Detroit Pistons (26-8) (2) It doesn't get any easier after the Boston loss, with the Texas Two-Step coming up next on the schedule.
3. Dallas Mavericks (23-11) (5) They knock off the Warriors again, further quieting the notion that they don't match up well with them.
4. New Orleans Hornets (23-11) (8) Chris Paul had a masterful performance against the man widely considered the best PG in the NBA, with 28 points and 10 assists, including 14 in the 4th quarter, against Steve Nash, helping NO finish off their West Coast swing 3-0.
5. Phoenix Suns (24-10) (6) Those 78-point halves were like super-rare 5 years ago, but they seem to happen once a month with these guys.
6. San Antonio Spurs (23-10) (3) Despite losses to the Nuggets and Warriors and close wins over the Knicks and Clippers, the Spurs go into Thursday's showdown with the Pistons with a healthy roster now that Ginobili's back.
7. Los Angeles Lakers (21-11) (7) Bynum just keeps getting better and better, as his ppg rises to 12.8 and he remains a good rebounder.
8. Portland Trail Blazers (21-13) (10) Roy is making an early case for MVP and the young Blazers just keep finding new ways to win.
9. Denver Nuggets (21-13) (11) Iverson has been on a tear lately, with scoring efforts of 29, 33 and 38 helping him garner his 22nd NBA Player of the Week award.
10. Orlando Magic (22-14) (6) Those home losses are going to catch up with them sooner or later, even though the loss to Houston was armed robbery.
11. Golden State Warriors (20-15) (9) The Warriors have owned at least one team from Texas, as they beat the Spurs for the second time on their home floor.
12. Utah Jazz (19-17) (12) They should be happy about one thing: at least they don't have to face Portland anymore on their schedule.
13. Cleveland Cavaliers (18-17) (19) LeBron is the man after dominating the Raptors with 24 4th quarter points and passing the ball to a heckler during a timeout.
14. Houston Rockets (18-17) (16) They've been finding ways to win without TMac, as Alston, Head and Brooks have all come up big in his absence.
15. New Jersey Nets (17-17) (18) The bigs are playing well, as Boone and Williams are thriving off of Kidd's passing wizardry.
16. Washington Wizards (17-16) (15) I find it hard to believe that Arenas is really being shut down for the year, but he honestly didn't look the same at the beginning of the year, so it'd be a wise move not to rush him back.
17. Atlanta Hawks (15-16) (13) They've now lost 4 in a row since peaking at 15-12, but there's still a long way to go for this team to either emerge as a playoff team or sink into the abyss.
18. Toronto Raptors (17-17) (14) Bosh's ad was humorous, but who exactly is he competing with for votes in the East? Yi Jianlan?
19. Milwaukee Bucks (14-20) (24) Bogut has quietly played very well lately even as the team struggles.
20. Indiana Pacers (16-20) (17) Deiner and Dunlevy give the Pacers the whitest backcourt in the NBA.
21. Chicago Bulls (13-20) (21) Ex-Bulls Curry and Crawford play a big role in subduing the NBA's most disappointing team at home.
22. Sacramento Kings (13-20) (23) Just when things start to look up for this team, Artest sits out another 4-6 weeks, joining Bibby and Martin.
23. Philadelphia 76ers (14-21) (20) Igoudala's numbers would be so much better if the Sixers just had one extra player who could score.
24. Charlotte Bobcats (12-21) (22) They're a fairly tough team at home, but they give that right back with 11 of their 12 road games being losses.
25. Los Angeles Clippers (10-21) (25) In case anyone's keeping track, they're 6-20 since their 4-1 start and can't seem to buy a break.
26. Memphis Grizzlies (10-24) (28) Pau's game has finally gotten back on track, but Darko remains a major disappointment.
27. Seattle Supersonics (9-25) (26) Durant's production has plateaued, but Green's has quietly gotten better as his ppg has increased while he remains a solid rebounder and a disruptive defender.
28. New York Knicks (9-24) (27) At least Marbury's finally back, even if this team's season is a lost cause.
29. Minnesota Timberwolves (5-29) (30) McCants has been shooting lights out lately and they proved they can at least beat...
30. Miami Heat (8-27) (29) ...the worst team on this entire list.

NFL Wild Card Playoff Predictions

2008-01-04T10:47:00.001-08:00

Washington at Seattle
Line: Seahawks by 3
The Redskins march into the playoffs as one of the league's hottest teams, having won four straight down the stretch to get to this point, doing so improbably with backup QB Todd Collins managing the offense. A big key has been the running of a healthy Clinton Portis, who alone makes the Redskins a threat in the postseason. If the Skins can establish the ground game early, they should continue the winning formula they've adopted over the last four games. The key will be whether Springs and Smoot can contain the perimeter, which I think they can, and the Redskins will get it done. Redskins 20, Seahawks 17

Jacksonville at Pittsburgh
Line: Jaguars by 2.5
The rematch between these two ballclubs should have the same intensity as the first meeting, and a similar outcome is likely. Pittsburgh just has too many injuries, plus the Jags have been red-hot down the stretch, winning six of seven after a 5-3 start before dropping a meaningless last game against the Texans. Their offense in that stretch has been unstoppable and if they can establish the ground game the same way they did in the last meeting, it doesn't matter what the conditions are, the Jags will have success. Jaguars 27, Steelers 24

New York Giants at Tampa Bay
Line: Buccaneers by 3
At some point, Eli has to step up and win a playoff game. It took his brother a long time to meet those expectations. This seems like a good opportunity for the Giants as well. They play in relatively comfortable weather down in Tampa, where the Bucs will look a bit rusty after wrapping up their division fairly early. While their passing offense has been sturdy and they got surprising contributions in the running game from Earnest Graham, the playoffs are a different story, and unless their playmakers show up again, the G-Men could emerge victorious. If they can get an early lead against the Bucs, they'll get the running game going and the Giants will have a fun time pounding the ball against the Bucs' small defensive front. Giants 24, Buccaneers 21

Tennessee at San Diego
Line: Chargers by 10
I get a feeling the Titans will have that "Happy to be here" look on their face. They struggled beating the Colts' backups last week and struggled to beat a 4-12 Jets team at home the week before. San Diego, meanwhile, is red hot, having won six straight down the stretch to seal up the #3 seed. After two heartbreaking home losses in the playoffs in each of their previous two appearances, the Lightning Bolts will get it done this time around. They're just flat out too talented for the Titans to keep up. If the Titans can't run the football, and their running game has been hot and cold this year, they're toast, because they certainly don't have much of a passing game. Chargers 31, Titans 10

Week 17 vs Spread 11-5
Season vs Spread 130-121-9
Week 17 Straight up 14-2
Season Straight up 163-77

Introducing the Gonzaga Theory

2008-01-03T07:52:00.000-08:00

In 1999, a small school in Spokane, Washington entered the NCAA Basketball Tournament with few expectations. Seeded 10th and filled with a bevy of shooters, the Gonzaga Bulldogs took the tournament by storm, upsetting Minnesota, Stanford and Florida and taking eventual-champion Connecticut into the last minute before finally bowing out in the Elite Eight. This same team would come back the next two years, seeded 10th and 12th respectively, and march their way into the Sweet 16 each time. Eventually, they'd start scheduling tougher preseason opponents and earned a spot in the Top 25, as they routinely won their conference to become a trendy March pick. Except a funny thing happened. A year after their third straight Sweet 16 appearance, Gonzaga had their most dominant year in school history, winning the conference and earning the 6th seed in the tournament, only to be upset in round 1 by Wyoming. Two years later, they earned an even higher seeding, #2, and lost in round 2 to Nevada. The following year, a #3 seeding and a second round loss to Texas Tech again ended the Bulldogs' season prematurely. They frustaurated countless tourney pool entrants, most of whom befuddled by Gonzaga's sudden lack of success in the tournament.
The answer was simple, however. Gonzaga, thanks to its large national exposure, had suddenly gone from underrated to overhyped. Experienced college coaches scouted them and found their weaknesses. The pressure mounted and suddenly, the same looseness Gonzaga played with as an underdog was not visible with the pressure on. They had gone from the hunter to the hunted.
In watching West Virginia completely dismantle Oklahoma last night, I saw them play pressure-free, a complete contrast to the way they played against Pittsburgh to end the regular season, when they were wounded, nervous, and felt the pressure as their offense slogged through the game. They would lose 13-9 and miss out on a shot at the National Title. While this is only a two-game sample, you must also remember this same West Virginia team went into the Sugar Bowl against Georgia just two years ago with the same low expectations they had against OU and shellacked the Bulldogs 38-28. There are certain teams that seem to play better when the pressure is off and no one is taking them seriously. I can cite several more examples as well that fully and appropriately fit the Gonzaga theory.

2004 Detroit Pistons Won the NBA Championship as the 3rd seed, defeating the Los Angeles Lakers 4 games to 1. They finished 2nd in the division, 7 games behind the Pacers. Yet in 2002, 2003, 2005, 2006 and 2007, when they were division champs, the Pistons lost four times in the Eastern Conference Finals and once in the NBA Finals.

2006 Pittsburgh Steelers Won the Super Bowl as the lowest seed in the AFC, winning three straight road games against the Bengals, Colts and Broncos before beating the Seahawks. Yet in 2002 and 2004, they finished with the best record in the AFC and lost both Championship games at home to New England.

2006 St. Louis Cardinals Finished the regular season with 83 wins, the 6th most in the NL, yet beat the 88-win Padres and the 97-win Mets before handling the Detroit Tigers 4 games to 1 in the World Series. In 2004 and 2005, they won over 100 games yet were swept in the World Series and lost in the NLCS.

2004 and 2005 Houston Astros Reached the NLCS and the World Series as a Wild Card, yet as division winners in 1997, 1998, 1999 and 2001, they lost in the first round four times.

1999 North Carolina Tar Heels Made the Final Four as the 8th seed, yet lost in the first round to Weber St. as the #3 seed the previous year and lost in the second round to Penn St. as the #2 seed the following year.

The result of these teams' success is driven from a number of factors. One is that they may have gotten hot at the right time and played beyond their usual expectations (Pistons, Tar Heels, Astros, Steelers, Knicks). Another is that they weren't well-scouted before but were exposed once people caught on to their style of play (West Virginia, Gonzaga). In some cases, a number of key veterans were in the twilight of their career and the manager/coach found the perfect mix of role players to compliment the veterans, who were driven to succeed before their careers ended (Cardinals). In any event, I introduce this new theory with the hopes of benefitting from it in the future.

Week 9 NBA Rankings

2008-01-01T15:56:00.000-08:00

1. Boston Celtics (26-3) (1) Loss to the Pistons? They'll just brush that off and win another six in a row.
2. Detroit Pistons (24-7) (2) Just wait until Rodney Stuckey develops. An already-deep Detroit bench is about to get a whole lot deeper.

3. San Antonio Spurs (21-8) (3) DerMarr Johnson was added to hopefully fill the void in Ginobili's continued absence.

4. Phoenix Suns (22-9) (6) If Amare can dominate again, Phoenix emerges as a true NBA Finals threat again.
5. Dallas Mavericks (20-11) (4) Even Erick Dampier has awoken from his three year slumber to post a double-double against Atlanta.

6. Orlando Magic (22-11) (8) This was a good weak for the Magic to heal up, as they feasted on some patsies.

7. Los Angeles Lakers (19-11) (5) Take note: Lamar Odom played physical for the first time in his career when he roughed up Ray Allen during the blowout loss to Boston.
8. New Orleans Hornets (20-11) (7) We're starting to see a truly dominant Chris Paul, as evidenced by a 40-point game against Memphis and a 16-assist effort against the Raptors.

9. Golden State Warriors (19-13) (11) Warriors' offense is in full-blast during their 19-7 explosion.

10. Portland Trail Blazers (18-13) (9) Loss on the road to the Jazz finally ends unlikely 13-game winning streak that has vaulted Portland towards the top of the division.
11. Denver Nuggets (18-12) (10) As much work as Camby does on the defensive end, the Nuggets have got to find a way to get him more involved offensively.

12. Utah Jazz (17-16) (14) Now at least the Jazz have the shooter they want in Korver so they can try and repeat last year's playoff run.

13. Atlanta Hawks (15-13) (12) As their five-game winning streak ends in Dallas, the Hawks must learn to deal with being the hunted instead of the hunter.

14. Toronto Raptors (17-15) (15) Winning in San Antonio will only do wonders for the Raptors' confidence.

15. Washington Wizards (15-14) (16) Daniels' return to the lineup couldn't come at a better time, although the Wizards' persevered with Mason Jr.

16. Houston Rockets (15-16) (18) They were on a 2 game winning streak and everything was starting to look rosy until a fourth-quarter collapse and loss to the Warriors.
17. Indiana Pacers (15-17) (13) Tinsley's absence can't be a good sign in the midst of a four-game losing streak, especially with the Pacers' lack of depth at that position.

18. New Jersey Nets (14-16) (20) The continued impressive play of Shawn Williams as well as the revival of Vince Carter have been keys in getting the Nets back in playoff contention.

19. Cleveland Cavaliers (14-17) (17) Betcha didn't know that Zydrunas Illgauskas has the longest tenure in the league with one team.

20. Philadelphia 76ers (14-17) (23) Firing King was best for this team, as they've played a lot better since the new GM took over and got pretty decent return on Korver.

21. Chicago Bulls (11-18) (24) Finally, some common sense being used, as Jim Boylen, Scott Skiles's replacement, moves Gordon back to the bench, where his scoring is more valuable.

22. Charlotte Bobcats (11-18) (22) Jordan practiced with the team, keeping everyone on their toes, for losing to a 40+ year old man, even one as good as Jordan, means they may get traded.
23. Sacramento Kings (11-18) (19) I love the idea of Bibby starting at SG when he comes back. This is a classic example of a small-ball team.

24. Milwaukee Bucks (11-19) (24) It's beginning to get a little ugly in Milwaukee, especially after losing by 45 to the Pistons.
25. Los Angeles Clippers (10-19) (25) The good news is ET is finally back, the bad news is the ship is sinking fast.

26. Seattle Supersonics (9-22) (27) Durant deals with nicks and bruises for the first time as an injured finger keeps him out vs Philly.
27. New York Knicks (8-21) (29) Curry is clearly unhappy with his sixth man role, but how else do you motivate such a lazy player?

28. Memphis Grizzlies (8-22) (28) They're still a year away after being thoroughlly overmatched in their last three division losses.
29. Miami Heat (8-23) (26) With Wade and Shaq hobbling and Mourning finished, there's little hope for a Heat rally this season.

30. Minnesota Timberwolves (4-26) (30) This is how bad it is for the TWolves: Their backup center with Ratliff out was an actual backup in college.

Week 3 College Bowl Picks

2007-12-31T22:47:00.000-08:00

International Bowl
Rutgers vs Ball St.
Line: Rutgers by 10
Rutgers has been up and down this year, but I think their big offensive line will be able to pound the ball on offense and get enough pressure on Nate Davis to cruise to an easy victory. Rutgers 42, Ball St. 14
Watchability: *

GMAC Bowl
Bowling Green vs Tulsa
Line: Tulsa by 4
An exciting shootout is inevitable as Bowling Green and Tulsa run the same exciting spread offense. Tulsa's is just more exciting and diverse. Expect a shootout and an exciting precursor to the BCS Championship game. Tulsa 38, Bowling Green 31
Watchability: **

Outback Bowl
#16 Wisconsin vs #18 Tennessee
Line: Tennessee by 2
Wisconsin is not your stereotypical Big 10 team. If the last two years have taught us anything, they have enough team speed to compete with most SEC schools, as victories over Arkansas and Auburn in the last two years have proven. While Tennessee has the speed, Wisconsin should control the tempo with their big offensive line and smother Erik Ainge with their pressure. Wisconsin 21, Tennessee 19
Watchability: ****

Cotton Bowl
Arkansas vs #6 Missouri
Line: Missouri by 3
The way these two offenses run, expect a huge abundance of points. On one side, Missouri will have their hands full with the combination of Darrin McFadden and Felix Jones. On the other, Arkansas will have trouble stopping the Missouri spread attack captained so brilliantly by Chase Daniel. In the end though, it's hard to trust the Razorbacks' hot-and-cold QB play. Missouri 31, Arkansas 24
Watchability: ****

Capital One Bowl
Michigan vs #12 Florida
Line: Florida by 10.5
This could possibly be the biggest mismatch out of all the bowl games. Michigan's disappointing year has been highlighted by inconsistent QB play and spotty defense. Florida's spread attack will run circles around the Wolverine defense and Tim Tebow will justify the Heisman hype with another 200-100 game. Florida 38, Michigan 14
Watchability: ****

Gator Bowl
Texas Tech vs #20 Virginia
Line: Texas Tech by 6
Chris Long is the type of pass-rusher who can disrupt a team's entire passing offense and that's what I have a feeling he'll do against the Red Raiders. By putting pressure on Graham Harrell, he'll throw off his rhythm and keep Tech from moving the ball consistently. Offensively, the Cavs will play an efficient, mistake-free game and control the clock against the undersized Red Raider defense. Virginia 23, Texas Tech 17
Watchability: ***

BCS BOWLS

Rose Bowl
#13 Illinois vs #7 USC
Line: USC by 14
We kick off the BCS feast with an intriguing Pac 1o-Big 10 matchup. The Trojans have healed up and overcome their midseason funk, but Illinois has shown drastic improvement in year 3 under Ron Zook. I think they have the athletes to go up and down the field with USC, but ultimately, the Trojans' depth will be too much for Illinois. USC 24, Illinois 21
Watchability: ****

Sugar Bowl
#10 Hawaii vs #5 Georgia
Line: Georgia by 7.5
One of the biggest things I noticed when watching Hawaii is how good their athletes are. These guys are no joke, their receivers could play for just about any school in the country and they have some linemen that play with loads of intensity. Georgia is very good and as hot a team as there is in the country, but what they'll find is that you can't underestimate Colt Brennan's heart, and he'll make enough plays to keep it close. Georgia 34, Hawaii 28
Watchability: ****

Fiesta Bowl
#9 West Virginia vs #4 Oklahoma
Line: Oklahoma by 7
West Virginia comes into this game reeling after blowing a shot at the National Title game with an embarrassing home loss to Pitt and watching their coach jump ship before their BCS game. OU is playing at as high a level as anyone in the country. They thumped Missouri in the title game and should rough up the already-banged-up duo of Pat White and Steve Slaton.
Oklahoma 38, West Virginia 21
Watchability: ****

Orange Bowl
#8 Kansas vs #3 Virginia Tech
Line: Virginia Tech by 3.5
What Mark Mangino has done with this Kansas team is nothing short of miraculous. With their spread attack, I think they can give the Hokies a lot of problems on defense. LSU exposed their weaknesses early in the year and VT hasn't faced an offense that good in ACC play. They're in for a rude awakening. Kansas 34, Virginia Tech 31
Watchability: ****

BCS Championship Game
#1 Ohio St. vs #2 LSU
Line: LSU by 4
This controversial title game is the end result of one of the wackiest years ever in college football. If any season cries for a playoff to be instituted in college football, this is it. With our current system, though, these are the de-facto #1 and #2 teams in the country. Ohio St. brings a tough defense to the table, but LSU has so many weapons at RB, not unlike the Illini team that beat OSU at home earlier this year. If OSU has the same kind of trouble against LSU's attack, they'll have to score a lot of points to keep up with the Tigers. LSU needs to jump on the Buckeyes early and force them to play from behind, where their offense is less effective because they can't rely on running the ball. LSU 34, Ohio St. 27
Watchability: *****

Week 2 vs Spread 8-5
Week 2 Striaght up 9-4
Season vs Spread 12-9
Season Straight up 16-5

Week 17 NFL Predictions

2007-12-29T13:14:00.000-08:00

New England at New York Giants
Line: Patriots by 13.5
Even though conventional wisdom suggests the Giants rest their starters, I can't help but think they'll be using this as a tuneup for playoff competition. The key is not to be so emotionally expended that they'll flame in round 1. The Pats' trek to an undefeated season has gotten a little rocky and the GMen will give them everything they have. Patriots 27, Giants 20

Buffalo at Philadelphia
Line: Eagles by 7.5
The Birds have nothing to gain by winning, just optimism going into next year. A strong finish means you'll probably see another year of McNabb. Philly just needs to get playmakers at receiver and they're a playoff team next year. Eagles 27, Bills 14

Carolina at Tampa Bay
Line: Panthers by 2.5
Tampa's got a nice little team, I just don't see them getting any further than the second round this year. Panthers 24, Buccaneers 20

Cincinnati at Miami
Line: Bengals by 2.5
They were so dangerously close to making history, but even if the Pats break their mark, at least the Fins didn't get skunked this year. That's cause for a little optimism, right? Bengals 24, Dolphins 10

Dallas at Washington
Line: Redskins by 9
I have to give major props to the Redskins. The fact they made the playoffs after Taylor's tragic death and Gibbs's ill-timed brainlock is a tribute to their character. Redskins 23, Cowboys 3

Detroit at Green Bay
Line: Packers by 5
The one concern the Packers should have going into the postseason are their last two losses against Dallas and Chicago. Favre displayed the wildness that has led to some recent Packer meltdowns in postseason play. Packers 27, Lions 17

Jacksonville at Houston
Line: Texans by 6.5
OK, so they didn't make the playoffs, but hey, the first .500 season in Texans' history is as good as a lock as the Jags tune up for their first round rematch with Pittsburgh. Texans 24, Jaguars 14

Chicago at New Orleans
Line: Saints by 1.5
Maybe this week the Bears try the Devin Hester experiment. We've seen them struggle enough with the forward pass, why not line him up under center? Who else did you have in mind? Urlacher? Saints 21, Bears 10

Pittsburgh at Baltimore
Line: Steelers by 3
Chuck Batch returns! Too bad he won't have most of the starters with him. Somehow I think Pitt's coasting through this one. They're screwed in the playoffs though without Parker. Ravens 10, Steelers 3

Seattle at Atlanta
Line: Falcons by 2.5
For Seattle to make their mark in the postseason, Alexander has to dig down deep and find his 2005 mojo again. Falcons 20, Seahawks 14

Cleveland at San Francisco
Line: Browns by 11.5
There's no nice way to put it, Cleveland blew their one chance to be more than a chronic failure. Next year, the schedule gets tougher and playoffs are no guarantee in the deep AFC. Browns 31, 49ers 10

Minnesota at Denver
Line: Vikings by 3
Another team that made a whole bunch of noise for nothing. At the end of the day, the same thing that everyone was worried about, erratic QB play, turned out to be the Vikes' achillies heel. Vikings 38, Broncos 21

San Diego at Oakland
Line: Chargers by 8
Is there any doubt that Sapp quit on the season when he got tossed last week? Oh, and thank God for parity. Oakland made a miraculous turnaround from 2-14 to...4-12. Chargers 28, Raiders 24

St. Louis at Arizona
Line: Cardinals by 6
Nothing, not even them being the Cardinals, can stand in the way of a .500 season. Not on Mr. Brenda Warner's watch! Cardinals 20, Rams 17

Kansas City at New York Jets
Line: Jets by 6
I know Herm took a lot of crap in NY, but lets be honest, the Jets would be better than 3-12 if he were coaching there. Mangini (and Weis for that matter) owe every dollar they've made to Belicheck. Jets 13, Chiefs 10

Tennessee at Indianapolis
Line: Titans by 6.5
Hey, gotta give the Titans credit. They hung in there when everyone thought they'd collapse and snatched away Cleveland's playoff spot in the last couple weeks. No way they lose when Jim Sorgi's playing a half and Marvin Harrison's only playing a series. Titans 24, Colts 10

Week 16 vs spread 8-8
Season vs spread 119-116-9
Week 16 straight up 10-6
Season straight up 149-75

College Bowl Picks Week 2

2007-12-28T04:52:00.000-08:00

Champs Sports Bowl

#14 Boston College vs Michigan St.

Line: Boston College by 4

MSU has the kind of dynamic offense BC is not used to facing. They pass as well as they run and they're one of the top rushing teams in the nation. Meanwhile, BC's offense has been figured out to a large degree. If you jam their slow-footed receivers and put pressure on Matt Ryan, their attack suddenly becomes very average. MSU is an under-the-radar team that could give BC lots of problems. Boston College 20, Michigan St. 17
Watchability: ***

Texas Bowl

Houston vs TCU

Line: TCU by 4.5

Sometimes, the Bowl committee misses on matchups, but this is definitely not one of those cases. We get an old school SWC matchup in the Lone Star state. TCU wins too as the Cougars still recover from knife wounds in their backs thanks to Art Briles jumping ship to Baylor before the season ended. TCU 17, Houston 10
Watchability: **

Emerald Bowl

Maryland vs Oregon St.

Line: Oregon St. by 5

The long travel will likely wear out Maryland and OSU is playing at a stadium close to their home turf, so they'll have a distinct home field advantage. OSU also plays the run surprisingly well, proving they're not your typical soft Pac 10 defense. I want to go with Maryland, but they're just too inconsistent. Oregon St. 24, Maryland 20
Watchability: ***

Alamo Bowl

Penn St. vs Texas A&M

Line: Penn St. by 5.5

From a defensive standpoint, PSU is the kind of team that can make A&M completely one-dimensional. If they can take away the running game early and if Anthony Morelli can just manage the game, PSU will come out of San Antonio with a solid bowl victory to end their year. Penn St 20, Texas A&M 10

Watchability: ***

Meineke Bowl
#25 Connecticut vs Wake Forest
Line: Connecticut by 2.5
This matchup features two of the best young coaches in America, as Randy Edsall has resurrected the Huskies to a 9-3 record and split of the Big East title following a 4-8 season. Meanwhile, Jim Grobe has proven last year's ACC Title was no fluke by leading the Deacon Demons to an 8-4 year and a second straight bowl appearance. Having played in a BCS game last year, I think WFU will play with the kind of intensity the Huskies aren't accustomed to and take advantage of the home field. Wake Forest 23, UConn 17

Watchability: ***

Liberty Bowl
Central Florida vs Mississippi St.

Line: Central Florida by 3

The big reason to watch this game is Kevin Smith, another C-USA RB along with Chris Johnson who has the talent to be a 1st round NFL Draft pick. He's on pace to shatter the college rushing record now that he's coming back for his senior season. Mississippi St. has faced lots of good RB's in the SEC, but not one as good as this guy. Central Florida 31, Mississippi St. 27

Watchability: ***

Independence Bowl
Colorado vs Alabama

Line: Alabama by 3

At least there's always the NFL on Sunday. Good thing, I doubt I'll be stuck watching this clunker between .500 teams. It's interesting too, it seems like the Independence Bowl is notorious for games like this. Maybe they should step up their advertising and get better corporate sponsors. Alabama 20, Colorado 16

Watchability: *

Armed Forces Bowl
Air Force vs California

Line: California by 3.5

The Golden Bears were at one point the #2 team in the country. Hard to believe that now, but after finishing the season 1-6 and suffering through a series of injuries, here they are. If they can't beat the bottom feeders in the Pac 10, they don't stand a chance against Air Force. Air Force 24, California 14

Watchability: **

Sun Bowl

Oregon vs #21 South Florida

Line: South Florida by 6.5
We'll call this the "I once was #2, remember? Bowl." South Florida came bursting out of the gate like gangbusters, winning their first six games. They included an impressive overtime win in Auburn and a home win over West Virginia. After getting upset by Rutgers, however, USF would drop its next two and fall out of the top 25. Oregon, meanwhile, continued to surge after USF fell, climing as high as #2 before Dennis Dixon tore his ACL and OU lost to Arizona, ending their hopes of a national title and sending them into a three-game freefall. It's a shame too, I really thought Oregon was going to represent the Pac 10, but with all the QB problems they're having, they'll likely end the year with 4 straight losses. South Florida 34, Oregon 20
Watchability: ***

Humanitarian Bowl

Georgia Tech vs Fresno St.

Line: Georgia Tech by 6
Don't adjust your TV screen, the Humanitarian Bowl is back and the blue turf blamed for twelve seizures in this country will once again be occupied. By the way, isn't it interesting that Georgia Tech hired Paul Johnson now when it would have made perfect sense to hire him last year to coach the option game and save them from Reggie Ball's butchery of the forward pass? Georgia Tech 38, Fresno St. 17
Watchability: **

Music City Bowl
Florida St. vs Kentucky

Line: Kentucky by 10
Watching FSU's descent has been truly sad. What happened at FSU with the 20 suspensions would have gotten any coach fired instantly, but the institution protects Bobby Bowden, who's completely lost control of the program. It's too late to turn things around, this short-handed Noles team won't stand a chance against the exciting young Wildcats and their cannon-armed QB, Andre Woodson. Kentucky 35, Florida St. 14
Watchability: ***

Insight Bowl
Indiana vs Oklahoma St.

Line: Oklahoma St. by 4
I may watch this game only for the 200 clips they show of Mike Gundy's outburst, which has to be the most colorful media tantrum a coach has ever thrown, better than even the hissy fits Jim Mora and Denny Green famously threw. This one had heart, as you could clearly see this guy was ready to blow a gasket after the reporter printed an unfavorable story about starting and then-struggling QB Bobby Reid. The great irony, of course, is that the same QB he was defending is now on the bench and the offense runs better with Zac Robinson starting. Oklahoma St. 30, Indiana 24
Watchability: **

Peach Bowl
#23 Auburn vs #15 Clemson

Line: Clemson by 2.5
Outside of Texas-ASU, this could be the highest-quality Bowl game of all the pre-New Years matchups. I think Auburn's defensive line can hold Clemson's running attack in check and control the clock as well, forcing Cullen Harper to beat them. They'll win in what should be a defensive slugfest. Auburn 17, Clemson 13
Watchability: ****

Week 1 vs spread 4-4
Week 1 straight up 7-1

Week 8 NBA Rankings

2007-12-26T07:58:00.000-08:00

Boston Celtics (22-3) (1) It's Christmas time and everyone deserves a gift. I'll start out by giving Kendrick Perkins a custom-made flat frame bed, not the foldout kind that's liable to injure your feet.
Detroit Pistons (20-7) (3) For Rasheed Wallace, a stress ball shaped like Tom Donaghy's head. Now you can squeeze it any time a call doesn't go your way, thus saving you money so you can get that gray spot taken care of. Just make sure David Stern doesn't catch on, he might fine you.
San Antonio Spurs (19-7) (2) For Bruce Bowen, new shoes with an improved arch support that allows you to bounce right back off the floor into a defensive stance after flopping.
Dallas Mavericks (19-9) (5) For Dirk Nowitzki, a non-refundable plane ticket back to Germany in mid-May, about the time his team gets eliminated from the playoffs.
Los Angeles Lakers (18-10) (7) For Phil Jackson, a flapping dickey to go with that bright red bowtie he was sporting on Christmas.
Phoenix Suns (19-9) (4) For Steve Nash, a Sampsonite Briefcase for him to take with him on road trips in case he wants to go into full Lloyd Christmas mode.
New Orleans Hornets (17-10) (8) For Chris Paul, some tweezers to clean and maintain that unibrow of his.
Orlando Magic (18-11) (6) For Rashard Lewis, an entire Bowlflex set so he can bulk up to play in the paint more.
Portland Trail Blazers (16-12) (13) For Greg Oden, a knee brace to help him rehab for next year, when Portland emerges as a true title contender.
Denver Nuggets (16-11) (10) For Allen Iverson, a Jason Kidd jersey he can sport in press conferences to lure the disgruntled PG out of New Jersey.
Golden State Warriors (16-12) (11) For Stephen Jackson, an extra compartment to hide the gun in case he decides to go P Diddy in the club again.
Atlanta Hawks (14-12) (17) For any Hawks' player under 21 (that'd be over half the roster, right?) another XBox 360 for those long, clubless nights on road trips.
Indiana Pacers (15-13) (16) For Troy Murphy, one-on-0ne sessions with Tony Robbins to resurrect his game and his confidence.
Utah Jazz (15-14) (14) For Andrei Kirilenko, a prostitute from Russia so he can get the most out of his one-free nookie a year pass.
Toronto Raptors (15-14) (9) For Sam Mitchell, a translator in case some of his international players can't understand him in practice and game situations.
Washington Wizards (13-13) (12) For Deshawn Stevenson, a beard-trimmer in case he finally realizes he can't compete with Drew Gooden.
Cleveland Cavaliers (13-16) (19) For Anderson Varejao, a gig on the Simpsons as Sideshow Bob's long lost twin brother.
Houston Rockets (13-15) (15) For Tracy McGrady, some pimpin' new suits to wear on the sidelines in case he misses another 30 games with his usual assortment of injuries.
Sacramento Kings (11-15) (18) For Brad Miller, some Sean John pants and a Fubu jacket with a gold chain.
New Jersey Nets (12-15) (22) For Jason Kidd, a giant UHaul moving van for whenever the team decides to trade him.
Milwaukee Bucks (11-15) (23) For Yi Jianlan, a new agent that will keep LA, Golden St, Miami, New York and Chicago out of the inevitable no-trade clause his second contract will have.
Charlotte Bobcats (10-15) (25) For Sean May, a book on the South Beach diet so he can stay in shape while he rehabs his knee.
Philadelphia 76ers (11-16) (20) For Reggie Evans, some Latex gloves in case he gets a hankerin' for some groping during a game.
Chicago Bulls (9-16) (21) For John Paxson, a fathead poster of LaMarcus Aldrige the next time someone asks him why he couldn't get one good post player with three lotto picks and a ton of cap space.
Los Angeles Clippers (9-17) (24) For Mike Dunlevy, five extra roster spots in case the injuries keep piling up.
Miami Heat (8-20) (26) For Pat Riley, a year's supply of mousse so he can still look good even as his team continues to struggle.
Seattle Supersonics (8-20) (28) For Kevin Durant, a giant wrist band in case he develops arthritis from shooting too much.
Memphis Grizzlies (8-19) (27) For Mike Miller, a WNBA jersey the team should force him to wear until he loses that affemanine haircut.
New York Knicks (8-19) (29) For Eddy Curry, a giant glazed basketball so he actually tries to rebound.
Minnesota Timberwolves (4-22) (30) For Kevin McHale, the giant pinkslip that Knick fans keep trying to give Isiah since he's completely sabotaged his franchise.

Week 16 NFL Picks

2007-12-20T17:51:00.000-08:00

Pittsburgh at St. Louis
Line: Steelers by 8
Was it just me or could Greg Jennings have called a fair catch on that TD pass from Favre? I mean, no one was within 30 feet of him. I haven't even heard my boy D's reaction. He laughs hysterically every time he sees soft defense, so I know he got something to say about that. Steelers 28, Rams 13

Dallas at Carolina
Line: Cowboys by 10.5
I'm sorry, but after TO made those Jessica Simpson comments and ESPN went on its latest anti-TO spazz, I just can't take anything they say seriously. Not that I ever did. I mean, did an entire network miss the real story? Romo sucked because he busted up his throwing thumb, not because Jessica was there. Cowboys 17, Panthers 10

Cleveland at Cincinnati
Line: Browns by 3
Despite his best efforts, Jamal Lewis could not save my Fantasy team from a 1st round humiliation in large part due to Romo's garbage game. Nonetheless, he should run all over the Bengals the same way he used to in B-More as the Browns continue to make the Steelers sweat out their division title. Browns 31, Bengals 21

Green Bay at Chicago
Line: Packers by 8.5
The last time these teams met in Chicago, Rex Grossman posted a 0.0 QB rating. Any chance Kyle Orton posts a negative QB rating? Is that even possible? Sid Luckman is rolling in his grave. Packers 31, Bears 10

Houston at Indianapolis
Line: Colts by 7
I'm sorry, but Mario Williams got ROBBED! Thank God Jay Taylor will probably skip out on the Pro Bowl to get some Honolulu poon, giving Super Mario another opportunity to represent. On a sider, I sincerely apologize. The Texans' front office knew what they were doing the whole time when they took him over Reggie and Vince. Colts 21, Texans 16

Kansas City at Detroit
Line: Lions by 4.5
The Lions have mailed it in the past six weeks, but I think they have enough to win against KC, who's going to be lousy next year because this isn't that great a draft and they have about a zillion positions to upgrade. Lions 24, Chiefs 14

Miami at New England
Line: Patriots by 22
Yes, I know what you're thinking. And no, it isn't happening. It was nice for the Fins to get their first win of the season, but after this week, the 72 Dolphins will be crying into their beers as the Pats move one week closer to 16-0. Patriots 24, Dolphins 7

New York Giants at Buffalo
Line: Giants by 2.5
Eli is going into the tank and Buffalo is another of those good non-playoff AFC teams. With Lynch healthy again, Buffalo will have enough offense to get by the flagging Giants, who are primed for another late season fade. On a sider, how dumb is Coughlin calling 52 passing plays in 25 mph wind? Bills 16, Giants 13

Oakland at Jacksonville
Line: Jaguars by 13
I was admittedly waffling deciding between the Jags and Steelers (thank you Jack & Coke, you bring out the truth). The fact is, this is the team in the AFC (other than New England) that NO ONE wants to face in the playoffs. Jaguars 27, Raiders 10

Philadelphia at New Orleans
Line: Saints by 3
They don't have much of a shot, but the Saints can win out and afterwards, they'll let the dominoes fall where they may. It's good to see the running game working again, but the guy gaining 100 yards is not the #2 pick in the draft, it's Aaron Stecker. Saints 21, Eagles 13

Washington at Minnesota
Line: Vikings by 6.5
Washington's been winning on pure guts in the last two, but it stops here. They can't pass enough to take advantage of the Vikes' secondary and face the NFL's #1 run D. The only thing keeping me from taking 6.5 is the simple fact Tavaris Jackson is capable of keeping both teams in the game. Vikings 17, Redskins 13

Atlanta at Arizona
Line: Cardinals by 10
In the wake of Petrino abandoning the team, Chris Redman misrepresents Louisville with a stellar 34 yard passing performance. On a sider, 23 months seems a bit extreme, but in two years, Mike Vick's comeback will garner as much hype as Tyson's when he got out of prison. Cardinals 24, Falcons 17

Baltimore at Seattle
Line: Seahawks by 10
Billick got an extension yet he still can't get a QB who has a concept of the forward pass. It is nice to see Troy Smith playing well though, but I don't think it should be enough to earn him an extension. Seahawks 17, Ravens 13

New York Jets at Tennessee
Line: Titans by 9
Vince deserves a lot of credit. Seriously. With this kind of margainal talent, how he's gotten them to a winning record is a story in itself. Maybe in this draft, the Titans will actully surround him with actual talent. Titans 27, Jets 17

Tampa Bay at San Francisco
Line: Buccaneers by 6
The Bucs finally returned a kickoff for a TD for the first time in franchise history. On that note, picture these teams 20 years ago and at no point are you thinking that Tampa will be favored by 6 on the road against the Niners and most people think they should be favored by more. Buccaneers 30, 49ers 10

Denver at San Diego
Line: Chargers by 8.5
The Chargers are another of those dangerous teams no one wants to play in the postseason. The talent they have has finally managed to overcome Norv's terrible coaching and their newfound running game should run circles around the Broncos. Chargers 31, Broncos 17

Week 15 vs spread 9-7
Week 15 straight up 11-5
Season vs spread 111-108-9
Season straight up 139-69

College Bowl Picks Week 1

2007-12-20T17:21:00.000-08:00

Poinsettia Bowl
Utah vs Navy
Line: Utah by 7
Hey, Alex Smith was the #1 pick in the draft. And Steve Smith for a time was considered the best wideout in football. So don't hate on the Utes. They get a little NFL buzz once in a blue moon. Utah 34, Navy 17
Watchability: *

New Orleans Bowl
Florida Atlantic vs Memphis
Line: FAU by 3
My alma mater is in a Bowl game for the first time in its six year history. And favored! Lets go Burrowing Owls! Schnellenberger was the one who built the Miami program from scratch and he's got a good thing going in Boca Raton. FAU 28, Memphis 24
Watchability: *

PapaJohns.com Bowl
#22 Cincinnati vs Southern Miss
Line: Cincinnati by 11
The Big East was a good conference this year. In all honesty, Cincy deserves better and I thought they'd get better after a 9-3 season. Cincinnati 35, Southern Miss 21
Watchability: **

New Mexico Bowl
New Mexico vs Nevada
Line: New Mexico by 2.5
The rating of this game outside of the state of New Mexico will be 0.1. Of course, as much of a football junkie as I am, I may be in that percentile. New Mexico 31, Nevada 24
Watchability: *

Las Vegas Bowl
#17 BYU vs UCLA
Line: BYU by 2.5
Ahh BYU, the school of many a great passer from Steve Young to Ty Detmer to John Beck. If the Bruins couldn't hang with the Utes, no chance these Coogs are takin it easy on them. BYU 38, UCLA 10
Watchability: **

Hawaii Bowl
#24 Boise St. vs East Carolina
Line: Boise St. by 11
How much you wanna bet Chris Peterson was told right after his team lost to Hawaii they got a Bowl invitation, then he kept his guys in Hawaii? I mean is it really that horrible to lose the WAC when you get this for a consolation prize? Boise St. 41, East Carolina 17
Watchability: **

Motor City Bowl
Purdue vs Central Michigan
Line: Purdue by 8
I stole this from an LSU fan's blog, but it's true no matter who posted it. Dan LeFevour had a better year than Tim Tebow statistically and had the grave misfortune of playing for a MAC team, where he was doomed to a career of obscurity unless he had freak athleticism a la Randy Moss or a cannon arm a la Ben Roethlisberger. Purdue better be on upset watch. It's not like Big 10 competition is that much better than the MAC. Purdue 24, Central Michigan 20
Watchability: **

Holiday Bowl
#11 Arizona St. vs #19 Texas
Line: Texas by 2
The talent level rises considerably when these two teams take the field. Texas's defense has been up-and-down all year, but the play of Jamaal Charles lately has been impressive, and if the Horns can establish the running game, they'll win this thriller game in shootout fashion. Texas 38, Arizona St. 31
Watchability: ****

Week 7 NBA Rankings

2007-12-19T12:34:00.000-08:00

1. Boston (20-2) (1) Never good news when you start to hear about Ray Allen and ankle problems.
2. San Antonio Spurs (18-6) (2) It was one thing to lose Duncan, but now without Parker, the Spurs will fall back into the pack.
3. Detroit Pistons (17-7) (3) It's a contract year, so you know Maxiell is playing every game like his life depends on it.
4. Phoenix Suns (18-7) (4) The win in San Antonio was nice, but keep in mind who wasn't playing in that game.
5. Dallas Mavericks (17-9) (7) If they can beat Phoenix and the Clippers, first place maybe right around the corner.
6. Orlando Magic (17-9) (5) With a tougher schedule ahead starting with the Texas Two Step, the Magic are picking a bad time to slump.
7. Los Angeles Lakers (15-9) (8) Kobe did wind up playing in Chicago this year, just not for the team the Bulls fans wanted him to play for.
8. New Orleans Hornets (15-10) (6) Paul keeps this team afloat as they continue to battle through injuries.
9. Toronto Raptors (15-11) (12) Matchup tonight with Portland features two of the most exciting young teams in the league.
10. Denver Nuggets (14-10) (10) Nene needs to come back soon, as this team is suffering defensively without him.
11. Golden State Warriors (14-11) (9) An inspired 4th quarter rally helps the Warriors to a rare win over the Lakers.
12. Washington Wizards (13-10) (14) Now with AD out, the Wizards need Haywood, Jamison and Butler to continue to step up their games, maybe even more so with depth at PG so lacking.
13. Portland Trail Blazers (13-12) (18) The more they win, the more their confidence grows and the last few drafts are really paying off with Webster, Roy, Outlaw and Aldrige spearheading this eight-game winning streak.
14. Utah Jazz (14-12) (11) The struggles continue as Harpring and Okur miss time with injuries.
15. Houston Rockets (12-12) (13) If the Rockets would start hitting their threes, the floor would open up again, but being 28th in the league in 3-point percentage isn't cutting it.
16. Indiana Pacers (13-12) (17) The good news is O'Neal posted back-to-back 20+ point efforts and maybe if his health is right, he can open up more space for Dunlevy and Granger.
17. Atlanta Hawks (12-12) (16) If someone deserves credit for the Hawks' surprising turnaround, it's Anthony Johnson, who's veteran leadership at the PG spot has allowed youngsters Stoudamire and Law to develop while he's led the team to a 10-6 record as a starter.
18. Sacramento Kings (10-14) (20) If they just had a front line, they'd be in playoff contention, but give Salmons and Udrih a lot of credit for filling in so well for Bibby.
19. Cleveland Cavaliers (11-14) (15) They're 2-8 since the 9-6 start, but even with LeBron back, they must find their identity on the defensive end to get back in the playoff race.
20. Philadelphia 76ers (10-14) (19) You knew after the GM change the Andre Miller trade rumors would start.
21. Chicago Bulls (8-14) (21) When Nocioni plays well, the energy level of the team goes up, and lately, he's been a big spark off the bench.
22. New Jersey Nets (10-15) (23) As the listless efforts pile up, so do the trade rumors for Jason Kidd.
23. Milwaukee Bucks (10-14) (24) The Bucks need to start playing with the same fluidity away from home, where they have an 8-2 record.
24. Los Angeles Clippers (9-15) (22) Am I reading that right? Chris Kaman is averaging 14 rebounds per game???
25. Charlotte Bobcats (8-14) (26) MJ may have gotten the better of Dumars on the court, but Dumars has made up for it by ripping him off in the front office. How does Walter Hermann's name even come up in a Nazr Mohammed trade?
26. Miami Heat (7-17) (25) If they tank now, they'll get OJ Mayo or Derrick Rose to team up with Wade and Shaq next year.
27. Memphis Grizzlies (7-17) (27) They definitely have something going for them in the backcourt, now if only they could get Pau and Darko to rebound a lot more.
28. Seattle Supersonics (7-18) (29) Durant's first game in New York was a beauty as he torched the Knicks for 30.
29. New York Knicks (7-17) (28) Speaking of the Knicks, shouldn't those fans stop wasting all their energy on Isiah and go after the real culprit of the team's putridity, James Dolan?
30. Minnesota Timberwolves (3-20) (30) It hasn't looked this bad since the Doug West/JR Rider era.

Week 15 NFL Predictions

2007-12-13T05:41:00.000-08:00

Denver at Houston
Line: Broncos by 1
A fun matchup between Shanahan and his ex-assistant Gary Kubiak. While the receivers are sure to make handfuls of athletic plays, this game will likely come down to whoever can run the ball more effectively. I'll give the slight advantage to Houston only because Denver's run defense has been so consistently bad all year. Texans 23, Broncos 17

Cincinnati at San Francisco
Line: Bengals by 8.5
Who made this line? How is a 5-8 football team a near double-digit favorite on the road? On a sidenote, I can see how the NFL Network thought this would be a good matchup at the beginning of the season. This game is not the reason to order that channel. Bengals 21, 49ers 17

Arizona at New Orleans
Line: Saints by 3.5
So much for the Cardinals making the playoffs, but hey, there's always next year. And you know Marques Colston's a great receiver when he's putting up numbers while the rest of the Saints receivers continue to drop passes left and right. Saints 27, Cardinals 17

Atlanta at Tampa Bay
Line: Buccaneers by 13.5
Atlanta will be completely out of sorts after their head coach stabbed them in the back with just three games to go in the season. With the Birds playing for next year, the Bucs should cruise to an easy W and lock up the division, capping an impressive last-to-first transition that's beginning to become common in the NFC South. Buccaneers 24, Falcons 3

Baltimore at Miami
Line: Ravens by 3.5
One more game. Then we get the crazy opposites game, with one team chasing history with an undefeated season and another chasing a different, more futile type of history. Bottom line, if the Dolphins can't beat the Ravens (no reason to think they can), they will not win a game this year. Ravens 6, Dolphins 0

Buffalo at Cleveland
Line: Browns by 5.5
This game is pivotal for playoff positioning. Buffalo just keeps finding ways to win games they shouldn't even be involved in while Cleveland's high-octane offense continues to click on all cylinders. I'll go with Cleveland here, playing behind the emotion of their home crowd. The Bills are still relatively young and a year away. Browns 24, Bills 20

Green Bay at St. Louis
Line: Packers by 9.5
The Pack should have no trouble stopping St. Louis with a rookie QB, as they're clicking on all cylinders with the running game working for the first time all year. Packers 31, Rams 0

Jacksonville at Pittsburgh
Line: Steelers by 3.5
Jacksonville runs the ball, but Pittsburgh takes away the run. Advantage Steelers. And while I like David Garrard, I don't think he can get the job done without a running game against the nasty Steelers' D. While Jacksonville will be game, they won't have enough to pull the road win here. Steelers 20, Jaguars 13

New York Jets at New England
Line: Patriots by 23.5
The Pats are 0-2 against the spread when given 20+ points. That's why I'm hesitant to take this gargantuan line, even if it is against Eric Mangini and the Jets, the same team Belicheck got caught cheating against. Patriots 38, Jets 17

Seattle at Carolina
Line: Seahawks by 7.5
With the division wrapped up, Seattle still brings out the starters in an effort to maintain the highest seeding possible. They shouldn't have any trouble with the woeful Panthers, who would have trouble scoring against a nine-man defense. Seahawks 24, Panthers 10

Tennessee at Kansas City
Line: Titans by 4
A gimme win for Tennessee, as the Chiefs have been flat out terrible since a 4-3 start and now are banged up and listless on offense. Even their defense is having breakdowns, as evidenced by the 34-point shellacking they took at Denver last week. Titans 24, Chiefs 14

Indianapolis at Oakland
Line: Colts by 10.5
This youthful Oakland squad will merely serve as fodder for the suddenly red-hot Colts, who continue to dominate defensively while the offense regroups and heals up in time for the playoffs. The scary thing for New England is they may face this same team in the AFC Title game with Marvin Harrison. Colts 42, Raiders 23

Detroit at San Diego
Line: Chargers by 10
After losing to the Cowboys in such heartbreaking fashion, I think it's safe to say the Lions' ship has sunk. They haven't run the football effectively in five weeks and have literally stopped believing in the running game. Meanwhile, their defense has gotten burned out from spending too much time on the field and is in for a long day with LT lining up in the backfield. Chargers 35, Lions 10

Philadelphia at Dallas
Line: Cowboys by 10.5
In a heated divisional rivalry, the Eagles will be game, but TO will again prove to be too much as he finally gets his redemption once and for all against the team that dumped him. So getcha popcorn ready! Cowboys 31, Eagles 24

Washington at New York Giants
Line: Giants by 4.5
That may have been the first time in his whole career that Todd Collins actually looked like a real, live NFL QB. Too bad it won't last. Not against the Giants' D anyways. This is another silly line. How is it that the Giants are favored by less than 5 points against a Todd Collins-led team? Giants 23, Redskins 3

Chicago at Minnesota
Line: Vikings by 10
The Vikings just keep getting better every week and Tavaris Jackson's confidence continues to grow. Meanwhile, the Taylor-Peterson 2-headed monster is working perfectly and the Vikings' D has been nothing short of outstanding. They're a lock to cover against the woeful Bears, even if the spread is double digits. Vikings 31, Bears 10

Week 13 vs spread 12-4
Week 13 straight up 15-1
Season vs spread 102-101-9
Season straight up 128-64

Week 6 NBA Rankings

2007-12-12T04:46:00.000-08:00

1. Boston Celtics (17-2) (3) Perkins's foot injury has to qualify as one of the more bizarre injuries in sports. Next time, he should just buy the flat-frame and not the foldout bed.
2. San Antonio Spurs (17-4) (1) Ginobili puts up back-to-back 37's, picking up the scoring slack with Duncan sidelined.
3. Detroit Pistons (15-6) (5) It hasn't been the most grueling stretch, but winning 7 of their last 8 puts Detroit firmly on top in the Central.
4. Phoenix Suns (16-6) (3) Fatgiue sets in at the end of a long road trip as the Suns drop one to the T-Wolves, then inexplicably fall at home against the Heat.
5. Orlando Magic (16-6) (2) One thing about Orlando is that while the front court is strong, their backcourt is streaky and didn't play well on the homestand with Nelson having a nothing game against Atlanta and Bogans limping around with a bruised knee.
6. New Orleans Hornets (14-7) (7) Four of five Hornets' starters are battling injuries, but at what point does it catch up with them?
7. Dallas Mavericks (14-8) (8) Howard carries reeling team with a career-high 47 points in a big home win against the Jazz.
8. Los Angeles Lakers (12-8) (10) If Ariza can make a difference off the bench, the Lakers may have added yet another versatile backup to creatch matchup problems.
9. Golden State Warriors (12-9) (11) The Warriors took a break from their usual high-paced theatrics to ugly out a 96-84 decision over the Duncan-less Spurs.
10. Denver Nuggets (13-8) (9) George Karl and Avery Johnson wore mics and I missed it? Man, it would have been classic unintentional comedy too!
11. Utah Jazz (13-9) (6) Jazz D has been struggling mightily in four-game slide which includes a demoralizing road loss to the TD-less Spurs.
12. Toronto Raptors (12-10) (12) TJ Ford's spill has that horrible sense of deja vu. Lets just hope it's not serious.
13. Houston Rockets (11-11) (13) Yao needs to look in the mirror before calling anyone soft.
14. Washington Wizards (11-10) (18) Jamison, perhaps the most underrated good player in the league, has picked it up with 21 and 10 a night while Arenas sits.
15. Cleveland Cavaliers (10-12) (15) Having LeBron back is one thing, but if the Cavs can get big games out of Larry Hughes, they could make another run in the East.
16. Atlanta Hawks (10-11) (20) Josh Smith has been the biggest catalyst behind the Hawks' surprisingly good play.
17. Indiana Pacers (10-11) (17) So I guess trading Jackson and Artest did a lot to clean up the Pacers' image, eh Larry?
18. Portland Trail Blazers (9-12) (25) The Blazers' latest hot streak includes a rare road win over the Jazz.
19. Philadelphia 76ers (8-13) (27) Well, at least they look good against horrible teams like the Knicks.
20. Sacramento Kings (8-12) (19) A couple weeks after getting an article in SI, Kevin Martin suffers a groin injury. All this talk about the Madden Curse and people still sleep on the SI jinx.
21. Chicago Bulls (7-12) (26) Is that a misprint? The Bulls really scored 123 points? Was the game 58 minutes long?
22. Los Angeles Clippers (8-12) (21) This team still has somehow managed to stay afloat admidst injuries.
23. New Jersey Nets (9-13) (14) Things may have officially hit rock bottom with a home loss to the Clips. Kidd's days are numbered.
24. Milwaukee Bucks (8-12) (16) The road trip started off ok, but four losses and a delayed flight later and the Bucks are in a tailspin.
25. Miami Heat (6-15) (28) Could back-to-back victories, including a road win against Phoenix, be a sign that the Heat's fortunes may be turning?
26. Charlotte Bobcats (7-12) (23) It seems hard to believe now that it was Okafor, not Dwight Howard, who won Rookie of the Year.
27. Memphis Grizzlies (6-15) (22) You mean Conley hasn't even cracked the starting lineup yet?
28. New York Knicks (6-14) (24) Can the starting center of the Knicks please explain how Quentin Richardson averages a board a game more than he does?
29. Seattle Supersonics (5-17) (29) This week we find out if the Sonics are indeed basketball's worst team with the Knicks and TWolves on the horizon.
30. Minnesota Timberwolves (3-16) (30) I know why Walker is suddenly playing well. You get traded from sunny Miami to frigid Minnesota and see how hard you'll work to get out of there.

Week 14 NFL Predictions

2007-12-06T07:37:00.000-08:00

Chicago at Washington
Line: Redskins by 3
I'm a little disappointed the Skins weren't able to get it done against Buffalo in the name of Sean Taylor, but I nonetheless feel it will happen this week against Chicago in what should be a charged up Thursday Night atmosphere at FedEx Field. I would also like to add I'm impressed by the classy tribute the Skins made to Taylor by starting the Buffalo game with 10 players on the field. Redskins 20, Bears 14

Carolina at Jacksonville
Line: Jaguars by 10.5
When these teams started out in 95, I bet they'd have no idea that in 12 years, they'd reach five conference title games and a Super Bowl. Jacksonville's still playing at a high level while Carolina is going through a down year, starting a QB with a longer career than their franchise's entire existance. Jaguars 31, Panthers 10

Dallas at Detroit
Line: Cowboys by 11
It's really a shame Detroit couldn't keep up the magic after their 6-2 start. If this team has any pride at all though, they'll give Dallas their best game. After all, they couldn't do any worse after last week's embarrassment against the Vikings. Cowboys 34, Lions 31

Miami at Buffalo
Line: Bills by 7
Yes, it is still very possible that the Dolphins could go winless after they blew a golden opportunity against the Jets. Who would have thought both winless and undefeated could take place in the same year and in college football, the only undefeated team plays off the mainland. Yes...it's been a year like no other in football. Bills 13, Dolphins 10

New York Giants at Philadelphia
Line: Eagles by 3
I was right. Cartman turned down that AJ Feeley card for a reason. As far as the Giants go, they're not great yet, but they showed they can win a tough road game in cold weather and a hostile environment by winning in Chicago last week and I think that'll be big for them going into this game against an Eagles team fighting for their playoff lives. Giants 20, Eagles 17

Oakland at Green Bay
Line: Packers by 10
It's a matchup between the league's most ridiculously-dressed fans. In Green Bay, they travel in masses and wear styrophome cheese helmets, while in Oakland, they wear black and spray-paint their faces silver with more eye-liner than a Long Island hooker. So who looks the most ridiculous? Gotta be the Oakland fans. At least in Green Bay, men don't wear makeup. Packers 31, Raiders 17

Pittsburgh at New England
Line: Patriots by 10.5
If the last two weeks have shown us anything, it's that the New England defense is really showing signs of age. If AJ Feeley and Kyle Boller can throw on this defense, imagine what Roethlisberger will do. Last week, for the first time, their passing attack actually looked fairly average. It's becoming evident that you can blitz Tom Brady and at least keep him out of rhythm. We know Pittsburgh loves to blitz and they have the #1 defense in the NFL. They pick the perfect time to catch the Patriots, when they're their most vulnerable. Patriots 21, Steelers 20

Tennessee at San Diego
Line: Chargers by 1
If the Chargers' D has shown anything, it's that they have a world of trouble with freak athletes. Adrian Peterson was one and Vince Young is another. If his receivers don't let him down this week, he could have a monster game against the streaky Chargers' D. Titans 28, Chargers 21

St. Louis at Cincinnati
Line: Bengals by 6.5
It's the Brock Berlin show! That's right, the guy who ruined the UM program is getting his first (and hopefully last) start in an NFL game. So Stephen Jackson, meet those 8-in-the-box defenses again. Bengals 28, Rams 3

Tampa Bay at Houston
Line: Buccaneers by 3
Just a hunch, but I suspect this is the week Tampa's injuries catch up with them. Houston may have lost Schaub, but Sage Rosenfels has proven more than capable as a backup and as long as he's got Andre Johnson, the numbers will be there. Texans 17, Buccaneers 13

Arizona at Seattle
Line: Seahawks by 7
Are the Cardinals really in the playoff race this late in the year? Believe it! And their last three games after this look like pushovers. Seattle is pulling away, but I've seen them fold in the face of prosperity before, so there's no reason it can't happen this time. Seahawks 23, Cardinals 20

Minnesota at San Francisco
Line: Vikings by 8.5
Take the Vikings at all costs down the stretch. Outside of Dallas, this maybe the team playing the best football in the NFC as of this moment. Their running game is clicking, their passing game is starting to work, and they've got the kind of finish to the schedule that 10-6 teams are made of. Vikings 31, 49ers 10

Cleveland at New York Jets
Line: Browns by 3
Cleveland was hosed on a bad call last week, but have otherwise been positioning themselves for a run at the Wild Card at the end of the year. In an interesting battle between former Belicheck assistants, Crennell will call checkmate on Mangini's thoughts of an upset by giving him a heavy dose of Jamal Lewis. Browns 24, Jets 20

Kansas City at Denver
Line: Broncos by 6.5
Denver's gotta win this one. No way they let a woeful Chiefs team come into Invesco and win. It would just be too embarrassing. While their defense has failed against most teams, they had their way with the banged-up Chiefs in their last matchup. Broncos 30, Chiefs 10

Indianapolis at Baltimore
Line: Colts by 9
After literally getting punched in the stomach with last week's heartbreaker against New England, Baltimore will still be feeling the side-effects against an Indy team that's healing up and starting to peak at the right time. New England may be the undefeated team, but lets still not forget who the defending champs are. Colts 34, Ravens 17

New Orleans at Atlanta
Line: Saints by 4.5
No Mike Vick. No Reggie Bush. I'm sorry, what was the reason to watch this game again? Bad week in sports. Saints 16, Falcons 10

Week 13 vs Spread 5-11
Week 13 Straight up 9-7
Season vs Spread 90-97-9
Season Straight up 122-70

Week 5 NBA Rankings

2007-12-05T05:01:00.000-08:00

1. San Antonio Spurs (15-3) (1) Big Shot Bob is back! Sixty more games until he gets to hit those backbreaking threes at the end of important playoff games.
2. Orlando Magic (16-4) (2) Howard now has two games with over 20 rebounds in the past three.
3. Boston Celtics (14-2) (3) Celtic opponents have failed to reach 80 in 2 of the three games since the Cleveland loss.
4. Phoenix Suns (14-4) (4) Now Amare's starting to break out big, his latest masterpiece being a 42-point, 13-rebound effort against the Pacers.
5. Detroit Pistons (12-5) (8) After a tough road trip, the Pistons are clicking again, having won their last four games by an average margain of almost 24 points.
6. Utah Jazz (13-6) (5) The Jazz get put to the test with the Texas Two-Step coming up this weekend against the Spurs and Mavs.
7. New Orleans Hornets (12-6) (9) The Hornets get a big home win against Dallas that will hopefully get them moving in the right direction.
8. Dallas Mavericks (12-6) (6) After skating by against lesser opponents, the Mavs get a real test with the Spurs on the road followed by the Nuggets and Jazz at home.
9. Denver Nuggets (11-7) (11) No reason a team with the athletes Denver has should ever let up 127 points in a game.
10. Los Angeles Lakers (10-8) (13) While Odom's production has been sagging, Radmonovic has picked up the slack.
11. Golden State Warriors (9-8) (16) They're above .500 and still climbing in the West.
12. Toronto Raptors (10-8) (14) To prove what kind of depth the Raptors have, they won by 19 without Bosh, Ford or Bargniani.
13. Houston Rockets (9-9) (10) Their inconsistency stems from the fact that they can't find a reliable #3 scorer after McGrady and Yao.
14. New Jersey Nets (9-9) (17) Bringing Carter off the bench to spark the second unit seems to be working for the Nets.
15. Cleveland Cavaliers (9-10) (7) Without LeBron, it's a miracle when this team scores more than 80 in a game.
16. Milwaukee Bucks (8-8) (12) Bogut's game has improved since he started shaving his head.
17. Indiana Pacers (9-10) (19) How much longer can Dunlevy and Granger continue to carry the load while O'Neal works his way into shape?
18. Washington Wizards (8-9) (15) After what he went through in his rookie year, it's great to see Blatche not only playing, but improving and getting more minutes.
19. Sacramento Kings (7-10) (24) The Kings might set a record by the end of the year for "most random guards to score over 20 points in a game."
20. Atlanta Hawks (7-10) (21) Getting a veteran PG for Josh Childress wouldn't be such a bad move at this point.
21. Los Angeles Clippers (6-10) (18) They've seemingly fallen back to earth since their surprising 4-1 start.
22. Memphis Grizzlies (6-11) (25) Navarro had a four-game stretch as a starter in which he averaged 18.7 ppg, proving the Grizz got a real find.
23. Charlotte Bobcats (6-10) (20) They've been free-falling since the heartbreaker against the Celtics.
24. New York Knicks (5-11) (26) Isiah's future on the Knicks' sidelines gets bleaker by the day.
25. Portland Trail Blazers (6-12) (23) Outlaw helps end the Blazers' 0-9 road start with some last-second heroics against the Grizzlies.
26. Chicago Bulls (4-11) (28) Trading for Kobe would only make things worse, as Deng and Gordon are the only bright spots in the Bulls' dismal start.
27. Philadelphia 76ers (5-12) (27) Billy King was finally let go, which leads me to ask why now and why not three years ago?
28. Miami Heat (4-13) (22) If this team gets any older, Shaq may have to turn his mansion into a retirement home for current Heat players.
29. Seattle Supersonics (3-15) (30) With a 35-point explosion against the Pacers, Durant has officially broken out.
30. Minnesota Timberwolves (2-14) (29) On some nights they may surprise a team or two, but this team just doesn't have the talent to compete for 48 minutes on most nights.

Week 13 NFL Predictions

2007-11-28T08:51:00.000-08:00

Green Bay at Dallas
Line: Cowboys by 7
There were two games of real significance thus far, and they were Cowboys-Patriots and Colts-Patriots. This matchup, however, could be the decisive factor in who gets home field advantage in the NFC. In a dream matchup of QB's between Brett Favre and Tony Romo, Green Bay actually seems to match up pretty favorably with Dallas, as they'll be able to spread the field out and attack the secondary provided they can contain the 'Boys defensive front. While Romo and Dallas will be game, you can never bet against a legend like Favre, his 0-8 record in Texas Stadium nonwithstanding. Packers 28, Cowboys 24

San Francisco at Carolina
Line: Panthers by 3
Now back to the games that matter much less. It was good to see the Niners finally show some signs of life on offense against the Cardinals. But a repeat effort? I've been down on Carolina all year, but until I see the Niners string together two consistent offensive performances, I'll go with, yes, even the Panthers. Panthers 17, 49ers 13

Jacksonville at Indianapolis
Line: Colts by 7
Another game of significant importance in the AFC South, the toughest division in football hands down. The Jags have been playing at a high level the past three weeks and are more than capable of turning this game into a slugfest. Indy is slowly healing, but unless their entire offensive line is intact, they'll have problems moving the ball against Jacksonville. Colts 17, Jaguars 14

Detroit at Minnesota
Line: Vikings by 3.5
Three straight losses have brought the Lions back to earth after a 6-2 start. Meanwhile, the Vikings have somehow stumbled back in the NFC Playoff race after a 41-17 shellacking of the Giants. Now, they've got their rookie sensation possibly coming back, and that could be enough to spark them to a victory and back to .500 in the suddenly-crowded NFC North. Vikings 24, Lions 17

San Diego at Kansas City
Line: Chargers by 5
As badly as the Chiefs have played the last few weeks, and they've been pretty horrid, I can't trust a streaky San Diego offense in potentially horrible weather. Norv's offense can't move when the sun is shining anyways. Chargers 19, Chiefs 17

New York Jets at Miami
Line: Dolphins by 1.5
Last week, it took the worst weather imaginable and an unplayable field to get a 3-0 game. This week, these two anemic offenses may accomplish that on their own without bad weather. Dolphins 3, Jets 0

Buffalo at Washington
Line: Redskins by 6
R.I.P. Sean Taylor. It's tragic to see such an amazingly talented player get taken out in the prime of his life. I'll always remember the colossal hits and the reckless effort and intensity he brought every Sunday. Now those traits are only memories after his life was taken from him by a gunshot on that fateful evening of November 25, 2007. For such a catastrophic event to take place now almost seems to trivialize the 3-game losing streak the Redskins have been on. They may win on Sunday, but ultimately, the team still must work together to overcome the huge void he leaves behind. Redskins 24, Bills 14

Houston at Tennessee
Line: Titans by 3.5
Think Vince is tired of taking the blame for his team's struggles? Now he has a chance to take out his frustaurations on the team that never should have passed him up. *tsk* *tsk* *tsk* how you disappoint me Texans! I thought you were a sleeper this year! Titans 17, Texans 10

Atlanta at St. Louis
Line: Rams by 4.5
Remember when this game was entertaining, back when Michael Vick and Marshall Faulk were playing? Is there even a reason to watch this now? Rams 13, Falcons 10

Seattle at Philadelphia
Line: Eagles by 3
The Eagles' close loss to the Patriots was no fluke, as they've shown a marked improvement in the last three weeks with Brian Westbrook transforming into SuperBack and carrying the team on his shoulders. Seattle is a hit-or-miss team that seems to fold in the face of prosperity, so I'll go with an Eagles team that seems to be coming together at the right time. Eagles 20, Seahawks 14

Cleveland at Arizona
Line: Cardinals by 1
Cleveland is emerging as the true surprise team in the NFL and their amazing trio of JLew, Winslow and Edwards continue to leave their mark on opposing defenses. This seems like a trap game, but not if the Browns continue to run the football, as they did last week against the Texans. Browns 31, Cardinals 21

Denver at Oakland
Line: Broncos by 3.5
Denver has to be asking itself how they let the Chicago game get away, but they should clean up against the annual divisional anchor, the Oakland Raiders. I said anchor becuase I get tired of writers referring to the last place team as a "doormat." Anchor just sounds better to me. Broncos 27, Raiders 20

Tampa Bay at New Orleans
Line: Saints by 3
Tampa's D has been rock solid all year and the Saints have been up-and-down. Meanwhile, the Saints will once again get worked over on the ground, thanks in large part to one of my key contributors, Earnest Graham. Buccaneers 21, Saints 13

New York Giants at Chicago
Line: Giants by 2
The Giants' disturbing loss to the Vikings could have a lingering effect, as they may head into a late-season swoon again if Eli underperforms down the stretch. They're going to have enough trouble beating a desperate Bears team in horrible weather. Bears 16, Giants 13

Cincinnati at Pittsburgh
Line: Steelers by 7
One thing is evident from watching the last two Steeler games: they are having problems on the offensive line. They're not running the ball the way we're used to and are relying entirely too much on Roethlisberger. Cincinnati's defense has also shown signs of life recently and their offense is finally coming together, so Pittsburgh could be in for a dogfight. Steelers 27, Bengals 24

New England at Baltimore
Line: Patriots by 20.5
Did the Eagles finally get the blueprint for beating the Patriots or did New England just play their worst game of the season? I'll give New England the benefit of the doubt, after all, hearing all this negativity from the media should be enough to motivate them back to their A-game against the Ravens. Patriots 38, Ravens 10

Week 12 vs Spread 10-6
Week 12 Straight up 11-5
Season vs Spread 85-86-9
Season Straight up 113-63

Week 4 NBA Rankings

2007-11-28T06:09:00.000-08:00

1. San Antonio Spurs (12-3) (1) After lighting up the Spurs, Beno Udrih was heard to quote "Jacque Vaughn?? Are you serious??"
2. Orlando Magic (13-3) (5) How long does Turkoglu keep up this hot streak of his?
3. Boston Celtics (11-2) (2) After beating the Bobcats at the buzzer on a miracle 3, Allen has a very unclutch moment, missing two FT's against the Cavs.
4. Phoenix Suns (11-3) (3) Suns get outgunned by the Warriors, snapping an 8-game winning streak.
5. Utah Jazz (10-5) (6) In a 3-game stretch against Paul, Billups and Marbury, Williams averages 19.6 ppg and 9.6 apg
6. Dallas Mavericks (9-5) (4) Dallas's defense breaks down in a three-game swoon capped off by an embarrassing home loss against the Arenas-less Wizards
7. Cleveland Cavaliers (9-6) (16) LeBron is taking charge again with a triple-double on Sunday and a 38-point effort against the C's.
8. Detroit Pistons (8-5) (9) When do Johnson and Stuckey start getting a chance? Seems like the Pistons always stash a few talents like this at the end of the bench.
9. New Orleans Hornets (10-6) (8) When the Hornets plummet back to .500, they'll be looking back and wondering how they let Minnesota beat them on their home floor.
10. Houston Rockets (8-7) (11) They're fine as long as TMac is healthy, but did they really upgrade the roster if they still can't win with him hurt?
11. Denver Nuggets (9-6) (7) Bad starts have been the biggest factor behind the Nugs' latest 2-game skid.
12. Milwaukee Bucks (7-5) (12) Bucks get caught napping against the Sixers after a pair of impressive wins against Dallas and Cleveland.
13. Los Angeles Lakers (8-6) (10) No more negative Youtube comments from Kobe about Andrew "bleeping" Bynum, who's averaging a double-double a month into the season.
14. Toronto Raptors (7-7) (15) Where did Jamario Moon come from?
15. Washington Wizards (7-7) (14) By now, you would think they're used to playing without Arenas.
16. Golden State Warriors (6-7) (22) In winning six of seven since their 0-6 start, the Warriors are once again a team to fear because of all the offensive weapons they can throw at you.
17. New Jersey Nets (7-8) (18) Three straight wins to finish out their Western swing, then the Nets lay an egg at home against the Grizzlies.
18. Los Angeles Clippers (6-7) (13) The injuries are starting to finally catch up with them.
19. Indiana Pacers (7-8) (19) Tinsley hasn't looked this good since his rookie year.
20. Charlotte B0bcats (6-8) (17) To lose the way they did against Boston has to be a flattening feeling for the young Bobcats.
21. Atlanta Hawks (5-8) (20) Win in Minnesota and Miami, but couldn't complete a sweep of the NBA dregs by beating Chicago.
22. Miami Heat (4-10) (25) Stan Van Gundy gets a good measure of revenge when his Magic team mopped the floor with Riley's Heat.
23. Portland Trail Blazers (21) Jack has found his offense since being moved to the bench in favor of Steve Blake.
24. Sacramento Kings (5-9) (23) The combination of Garcia, Udrih and Salmons has eased the loss of Bibby.
25. Memphis Grizzlies (5-9) (24) Pau needs to step it up, Mike Miller is averaging more boards a game than he is.
26. New York Knicks (4-9) (28) See what happens when you motivate Marbury? Now he just needs to keep this up to get the Knicks back to respectability.
27. Philadelphia 76ers (4-9) (27) Watching Dalmebert and Evans play is literally like watching paint dry.
28. Chicago Bulls (3-10) (26) What has happened to Kirk Hinrich? Granted he was a little overrated to begin with, but he's never played this badly.
29. Minnesota Timberwolves (2-10) (30) When do Brewer and Green start getting real minutes?
30. Seattle Supersonics (2-13) (29) Why doesn't this team just start Delonte West at SG and move Durant to his natural position of SF?

Week 12 NFL Predictions

2007-11-25T06:15:00.000-08:00

Thanksgiving day record vs spread 2-1
Thanksgiving day record straight up 3-0

New Orleans at Carolina
Line: Saints by 2.5
It's a tribute to Steve Smith's maturity that he hasn't come into the locker room with a machine gun and shot up the place. His talent is being wasted on this miserable, QB-less team. Saints 23, Panthers 17

Tennessee at Cincinnati
Line: Titans by 1.5
The ultimate get-well game for a struggling Titans' offense. They should be able to establish a flagging running game against the horrid defense of the Bengals. One would only hope, anyways. Titans 21, Bengals 17

Houston at Cleveland
Line: Browns by 3.5
The Texans have a date with destiny, but as much as I've backed them all year, I'm seeing the Browns as the team doing all the things the Texans were supposed to be doing this year. Prove me wrong, Texans, and I will jock you hardcore down the stretch. Browns 24, Texans 20

Buffalo at Jacksonville
Line: Jaguars by 8
The public is going with Jacksonville, but need I remind you how unpredictable this team has been in the past? They seem to be at their worst when faced with prosperity and this is a desperate Bills team trying anything to climb back into the playoff hunt. Jaguars 20, Bills 17

Oakland at Kansas City
Line: Chiefs by 5
I can't even trust this Chiefs team against the woeful Raiders. Their offense is that pitiful. Plus, this is an AFC West matchup, where you pretty much throw all the records out the window. So...when do the Raiders tank and start playing JaMarcus Russell? Chiefs 13, Raiders 10

Minnesota at New York Giants
Line: Giants by 7
Just a hunch. Plus, there are way too many outright favorites. You know at least one of them has to slip up. Plus, the Vikings match up very well with the Giants because they can take away the run. Giants 17, Vikings 14

Seattle at St. Louis
Line: Seahawks by 3
While Seattle has been maddeningly inconsistent all year, their defense is starting to step it up and the running game is slowly coming together. I'm not calling them contenders yet, but they should make quick work of their weak divisional foes. Seahawks 24, Rams 17

Washington at Tampa Bay
Line: Buccaneers by 3
Joe Gibbs should plan on going back to NASCAR next year, as he simply isn't getting the job done with this team. Meanwhile, the Bucs extend the theory that finishing last in the South is the quickest way to winning that division. Does this mean I pick the Falcons next year? Buccaneers 16, Redskins 10

San Francisco at Arizona
Line: Cardinals by 10.5
Could the Cardinals actually be making a push towards the divisional crown and a rare playoff appearance? They're still the Cardinals, I won't take a double-digit spread because it's still the Cardinals. Cardinals 14, 49ers 7

Denver at Chicago
Line: Bears by 2
The Broncs get another favorable QB matchup their secondary can exploit. Plus with San Diego pissing away every chance to put the division out of reach, they're right back in the race and they'll continue sinking the Bears' ship. Broncos 20, Bears 13

Baltimore at San Diego
Line: Chargers by 8.5
This Chargers' team has been unpredictable this year, but the Ravens are sinking and sinking fast. Their defense is aging and their offense is just plain miserable. While lightning doesn't always strike, the Chargers play with a lot more emotion at home and generally take care of business. Chargers 31, Ravens 17

Philadelphia at New England
Line: Patriots by 25
This Patriots team, honestly, has me changing all the rules. A 25 point spread seems impossible to cover, but this is a team that just keeps pushing the bar higher and higher and amazingly exceeding it on a consistent basis. What's scary is those early-season blowouts don't even compare to what they're doing now. And AJ Feeley's starting. Cartman didn't even want his football card. Patriots 66, Eagles 10

Miami at Pittsburgh
Line: Steelers by 16
On the other side of the token, I doubt Pittsburgh has another sloppy meltdown like they did against the Jets. I hope Joey Porter's happy in Miami being a few million dollars richer. My only question is how much money is he stealing from that organization? Steelers 38, Dolphins 17

Week 11 vs Spread 8-7-1
Season vs Spread 75-80-9
Week 11 Straight up 12-4
Season Straight up 102-58

Week 3 NBA Rankings

2007-11-21T04:10:00.000-08:00

1. San Antonio Spurs (10-2) (2) Orlando gave them a scare for one half, but the Spurs remain triumphant.
2. Boston Celtics (9-1) (1) One day after a thrilling loss to the Magic, the C's throttle the Warriors to get back on track.
3. Phoenix Suns (10-2) (3) 47 points in a quarter and 80 in a half??? There's the old Phoenix team we knew and loved!
4. Dallas Mavericks (9-2) (5) They've answered major challenges with wins over the Spurs and Rockets in the past week.
5. Orlando Magic (10-3) (9) Even in a loss, Howard shines against Duncan with a 34-point, 16-rebound performance.
6. Utah Jazz (8-4) (6) Williams scorches Kidd to halt a two-game losing streak.
7. Denver Nuggets (8-4) (10) Cleaning up against NBA pasties before bowing to the Clippers.
8. New Orleans Hornets (9-4) (8) Hornets-Jazz is that ironic twist game. The one that leaves you asking why these teams can't swap nicknames.
9. Detroit Pistons (7-4) (4) The western swing is over and despite a 2-3 record, the Pistons stay atop the Central.
10. Los Angeles Lakers (7-4) (15) Kobe's not scoring as much, and it's giving Odom more of an opportunity to flash his true talent.
11. Houston Rockets (6-6) (7) So much for all the offseason buzz, this team still doesn't have a reliable clutch scorer.
12. Milwaukee Bucks (6-4) (19) When this team's shooting the ball well, they're tough to beat.
13. Los Angeles Clippers (6-4) (11) Kaman is averaging 18 and 14 and truly blossoming as a player.
14. Washington Wizards (6-5) (27) A week against bottom feeders has helped the Wizards resurrect their season.
15. Toronto Raptors (6-6) (12) Just think how much better they'll be when Bosh finally starts playing at the level he's capable of.
16. Cleveland Cavaliers (6-6) (13) Hughes has spent almost as much time injured as he has playing since joining the Cavs.
17. Charlotte Bobcats (6-5) (17) G-Force has finally blossomed into a full-blown 20-point scorer.
18. New Jersey Nets (5-7) (14) Need an explanation for losing? Why is the Nets' PG averaging more blocks per game than Nenad Kristic?
19. Indiana Pacers (5-7) (18) O'Neal is losing a step, which has to be alarming to the Pacers.
20. Atlanta Hawks (4-7) (21) Big Al Horford is a beast on the boards and gradually getting better on the offensive end.
21. Portland Trail Blazers (4-8) (16) Still haven't figured out how to win on the road yet, but playing surprisingly well for a young team.
22. Golden State Warriors (3-7) (28) Jackson couldn't have picked a better time to come back and spark this flagging team.
23. Sacramento Kings (4-8) (26) Kevin Martin is the one 25+ ppg scorer that makes you scratch your head and ask "How does he score that much?"
24. Memphis Grizzlies (3-8) (23) With Lowry and Conley starting to flourish, it may not be long before Stoudamire has to find a new job.
25. Miami Heat (2-9) (25) You have to give Wade credit for handling Shaq's occasional lethargy a lot better than Kobe did.
26. Chicago Bulls (2-8) (22) The Knicks gave the Bulls two freebies and they blew them on Thomas and Noah? Where did they think they were getting their frontcourt scoring from, Ben Wallace?
27. Philadelphia 76ers (3-7) (24) Louis Williams should be getting the starting job since Green can't hit the broad side of a barn.
28. New York Knicks (2-9) (20) At what point does Dolan just cut his losses and sell this multi-million dollar disaster?
29. Seattle Supersonics (2-10) (30) Durant's got the total package, he just needs to shoot it better and it's hello superstardom.
30. Minnesota Timberwolves (1-8) (29) How anyone can forgive McHale for essentially giving away KG for next-to-nothing is beyond me.

Week 11 NFL Predictions

2007-11-18T06:10:00.000-08:00

Tampa Bay at Atlanta
Line: Buccaneers by 3
Byron Leftwich starting...seems ok, except he hasn't gotten regular snaps in over a year and he's counting on finding his rhythm against one of the toughest defenses in the league. In other words, not bloodly likely. Buccaneers 17, Falcons 10

Arizona at Cincinnati
Line: Bengals by 3
I don't care what anybody says, going from futile to mediocre is progress, so these teams have a lot to be proud of. Oh and despite their bad record, not a single Bengal has committed a felony this year, that's a good thing right? Bengals 24, Cardinals 13

Kansas City at Indianapolis
Line: Colts by 14.5
My mama done told me don't never pick against Peyton Manning after he threw six interceptions the week before. Besides, with LJ, the Chiefs offense is mediocre. Without him, it's just plain miserable. Brodie will be on his back more than Jenna Jameson. Colts 34, Chiefs 10

San Diego at Jacksonville
Line: Jaguars by 3
I just wanted to point out how hilarious Norv looked witnessing his team's near-meltdown against the Colts. He just looked like he wanted to jump into an abyss. That's probably how Charger fans will feel after he mismanages another game this week. Jaguars 21, Chargers 17

Oakland at Minnesota
Line: Vikings by 4.5
No AD would spell doom for most teams, but when your backup's Chester Taylor and the team you're playing made Ron Dayne look like a Pro Bowler, suddenly things start to look optimistic for you. Vikings 20, Raiders 10

Cleveland at Baltimore
Line: Browns by 3
Brian Billick still hasn't found a QB in ten years. Anyone know how he still has a job and how much he's paying Cunningham under the table for making him look good in Minnesota? Browns 24, Ravens 16

Carolina at Green Bay
Line: Packers by 9.5
Vinny was a seasoned veteran by the time Favre was a rookie and Favre was considered aging and "past his prime" coming into the season. So what does that make Vinny? Packers 31, Panthers 10

New Orleans at Houston
Line: Texans by 1.5
Houston, don't fail me this week. I'm still holding out that faint hope that you'll somehow find a way to make the playoffs. Meanwhile, New Orleans, I got nothing to say, the last five weeks you've made me look bad, first, by me doubting you and then by letting me down when I finally believed in you. You're blacklisted for the season for that! Texans 21, Saints 19

Miami at Philadelphia
Line: Eagles by 9.5
Miami has the Dolphins, they have to get one win, 'cause if they don't they'll go down as the NFL's worst football team. They can't throw through the air or run on the ground they're never in control, and when you hear people laughing it's 'cause some idiot blurted out "Dolphins' Super Bowl." 'Cause we're the Miami Dolphins, Miami Dolphins, Miami Dolphins in last place. We're the Miami Dolphins, Miami Dolphins, Miami Dolphins in last place. Eagles 16, Dolphins 13

New York Giants at Detroit
Line: Giants by 2.5
Feel the growl! It's those Lions on the prowl. They may have been running backwards against Arizona, but they'll figure out how to get it back in first against the Giants. If they just run a little, it'll open up Kitna to gun down his full arsenal against a suspect Giants' secondary. Lions 27, Giants 24

Pittsburgh at New York Jets
Line: Steelers by 9.5
Nothing except motorcycles can stop Big Ben right now. OK, there's my lame motorcycle joke for the year. Kellen Winslow Jr, you're next! Steelers 31, Jets 17

Washington at Dallas
Line: Cowboys by 11
Grandpa Gibbs oughta take a cue out of Parcells' book and walk out with his dignity before he coaches this team any further into the ground. Dallas is clicking on all cylinders and not even a silly little rivalry can stand in their way. Cowboys 31, Redskins 21

St. Louis at San Francisco
Line: Rams by 3
In most circumstances, I'd have a real problem with picking a one-win team on the road, but that's exactly how bad the Niners looked on Monday Night. In all honesty, last year's Raiders looked better at times on offense last year. Wow, if only we could match those two teams up. Has any NFL game ever ended in a 0-0 tie with OT, b/c that one may have that kind of futile offense-potential. Rams 21, 49ers 7

Chicago at Seattle
Line: Seahawks by 4.5
Rex Grossman alert! Rex Grossman alert! Warning, interceptions may be more frequent than they appear! Warning, fumbled snaps may be more common than they appear! Seahawks 17, Bears 7

Buffalo at New England
Line: Patriots by 16
Buffalo will be playing with a lot of emotion at home, but will it be enough to stop the imminent undefeated season the Pats are headed for? Not without Marshawn Lynch. Patriots 31, Bills 17

Tennessee at Denver
Line: Broncos by 2
No matter how bad the media dogs him out, Vince is a prime time player and has been since college, so of course he's saving his best stuff for Monday Night football. Denver's defense finally showed up last week, but it was against a struggling offense that was missing it's only real source of production. Titans 21, Broncos 14

Week 10 vs Spread 7-7
Week 10 Straight up 6-8
Season vs Spread 65-73-8
Season Straight up 90-54

Week 2 NBA Rankings

2007-11-14T05:50:00.000-08:00

1. Boston Celtics (6-0) (2) They've dominated in five of their six victories with KG leading the team in four different categories
2. San Antonio Spurs (7-1) (3) Parker got a 3-point shot now! It's like every year, he just adds something new.
3. Phoenix Suns (6-2) (5) Hopefully Amare's knee doesn't become too much of an issue.
4. Detroit Pistons (5-2) (1) See how much better they are when Sheed's performing and not screaming at refs?
5. Dallas Mavericks (5-2) (4) Winning in Golden St. may help fight some of those playoff demons.
6. Utah Jazz (6-2) (8) Lets face it, Williams-Boozer is the new Stockton-Malone tandem, and in some ways better.
7. Houston Rockets (6-2) (5) Someone besides McGrady and Yao has to pick up the scoring.
8. New Orleans Hornets (6-2) (7) Now that he's fully healthy, Paul is taking his game to an even higher level.
9. Orlando Magic (6-2) (12) Boston, Phoenix and San Antonio better move over, Orlando's got a killer trio too!
10. Denver Nuggets (5-3) (17) Imagine how much better they'd be if they didn't have some $25 million tied into Nene and Kenyon's medical bills.
11. Los Angeles Clippers (4-2) (9) Maggette and Kaman have stepped up huge with Brand still rehabbing.
12. Toronto Raptors (4-3) (14) Delfino's just another example of a youngster that never got a chance in Detroit.
13. Cleveland Cavaliers (4-4) (11) LeBron's trying, but how much longer can he carry this weak supporting cast.
14. New Jersey Nets (4-3) (15) There goes Carter again with his injury crap.
15. Los Angeles Lakers (3-3) (10) They need Odom, he's the key to Kobe staying happy and not burning down Staples' Center to get traded.
16. Portland Trail Blazers (4-3) (29) They're young, but their confidence is growing with each win against a contender in this homestand.
17. Charlotte Bobcats (4-3) (20) Good thing they play defense, because this team's backcourt misses more than a James Bond sniper.
18. Indiana Pacers (3-4) (13) Blowing a 25-point lead against Denver=bad news. That's the kind of loss that could haunt this team.
19. Milwaukee Bucks (2-4) (18) Yi's actually turning out to be pretty good. He appears to the only Bucks' big man with a pulse.
20. New York Knicks (2-4) (16) Marbury's gone AWOL again. Oh well, so much for the Knicks being a playoff team.
21. Atlanta Hawks (2-4) (19) It goes without saying, this is a scary team had they not screwed up and taken Marvin Williams over Chris Paul.
22. Chicago Bulls (1-5) (23) This team couldn't score in an empty gym.
23. Memphis Grizzlies (2-4) (27) The young nucleus is in place, now it just comes down to winning consistently.
24. Philadelphia 76ers (2-5) (21) Now if they could just find someone who can compliment Igoudala, then they'd start to get somewhere.
25. Miami Heat (1-6) (22) Lets be honest, Riley would probably be the 6th man on this roster.
26. Sacramento Kings (2-5) (26) Hide your children, Artest's coming back!
27. Washington Wizards (1-5) (25) A defesnively challenged ballclub with a ball-hogging PG. Sounds like a recipe for disaster.
28. Golden State Warriors (0-5) (24) They go up a few spots the minute they pop their 2007-08 cherry.
29. Minnesota Timberwolves (0-5) (29) Good to see Telfair at least playing with some confidence.
30. Seattle Supersonics (0-8) (30) Maybe next year, Seattle can draft a center with a pulse to free up Durant.

Week 10 NFL Predictions

2007-11-11T18:40:00.000-08:00

Jacksonville at Tennessee

Line: Titans by 5

This Titans team is for real. The Jags may have the great defense on paper, but the Titans’ D is outperforming them and are far more scary. With Jacksonville being a fairly one-dimensional team, guess which dimension the Titans are taking away? That’s right, the running game! Titans 13, Jaguars 10

Denver at Kansas City

Line: Chiefs by 3

The Chiefs could start Mike Garrett or Marcus Allen in the backfield and the Broncos still wouldn’t find a way to stop either. As far as offensively, Denver doesn’t stand a chance without Walker. Chiefs 20, Broncos 10

Buffalo at Miami

Line: Bills by 2.5

I GOT LEE EVANS! I GOT LEE EVANS! Perfect timing too, he gets to go against the Dolphins' secondary. Bills 28, Dolphins 17

Cleveland at Pittsburgh

Line: Steelers by 10

This is a different Browns team from Week 1. They no longer have Charlie Frye and instead have a red-hot Derek Anderson, who could keep the Steelers sweating this one out in Pittsburgh. Steelers 34, Browns 28

St. Louis at New Orleans

Line: Saints by 10.5

The rally from 0-4 is complete and I was a non-believer the whole way. Never more! The Saints are dominators of mediocre competition! Saints 34, Rams 10

Atlanta at Carolina

Line: Panthers by 3.5

Remember how Mike Vick used to kill the Panthers before he picked up a second hobby killing canines? OK, I’ll stop, really, it’s getting old. Panthers 24, Falcons 14

Philadelphia at Washington

Line: Redskins by 3

The Redskins get the most disappointing team in their division, the woeful Philadelphia Eagles, who are well on their way to an 0-6 record in the brutal NFC East. Redskins 19, Eagles 14

Minnesota at Green Bay

Line: Packers by 5.5

Can you believe this? My opponent had Adrian Peterson last week, which of course, was his NFL-record-breaking week, and I still won the matchup? Find out later how I pulled that off. Packers 24, Vikings 17

Cincinnati at Baltimore

Line: Ravens by 3

It was painful watching McNair against the Steelers. Just painful! The man’s got nothing left in the tank. Then again, the Bengals’ D might have trouble stopping a dead man. Ravens 27, Bengals 20

Chicago at Oakland

Line: Bears by 3.5

So, when are the Raiders going to start Russell? I mean, their season’s practically over, might as well, right? Bears 21, Raiders 13

Detroit at Arizona

Line: Lions by 1.5

The Lions could compete for the NFC North crown if their D keeps playing at a high level. Arizona’s probably a year away from surprising people if they can ever get the QB situation straightened out. Lions 20, Cardinals 17

Dallas at New York Giants

Line: Cowboys by 1.5

ROMO TO OWENS BABY! ROMO TO OWENS! The hottest hookup since Columbians giving coke to rich white people in the mid-80’s! Yup! That’s why I’m hot! Oh, and as for the Giants, they’re playing well enough to get over against some scrubby teams, but they have no idea what this Cowboys’ team’s got in store! HOW BOUT THEM COWBOYS! Cowboys 31, Giants 20

Indianapolis at San Diego

Line: Chargers by 3.5

What Indy showed in the New England game, in spite of the loss, is that they have a very physical defense. San Diego has not always played physical this year and if Indy’s D can establish tempo early, Peyton and Addai can do their thing on the other end. Colts 34, Chargers 24

San Francisco at Seattle

Line: Seahawks by 9.5

Seattle’s just good enough to get over on their sorry division, and that’s about it. Remember when this Niners’ team was 2-0 and everyone was penciling them in as their playoff darkhorse? Seems like ages ago. Seahawks 17, 49ers 10

Week 9 vs Spread 6-8

Week 9 Straight up 11-3

Season vs Spread 57-65-8

Season Straight up 84-46

Week 1 NBA Rankings

2007-11-07T18:41:00.000-08:00

Detroit Pistons (3-0) Getting lit up by LeBron in the playoffs was the best thing to happen to the Pistons. Look at how much better their D has gotten.
Boston Celtics (2-0) Already showing signs of dominance and it’s just been two games.
San Antonio Spurs (3-1) Ginobili and Parker are already in midseason form while Duncan’s still rounding into preseason form.
Dallas Mavericks (3-1) Moving Jet to the bench looks like a brilliant move so far.
Phoenix Suns (3-1) Came out surprisingly flat against the Lakers.
Houston Rockets (4-1) Win over Spurs a real early season statement for a team that’s trying to establish itself among the elite.
New Orleans Hornets (4-0) Not only is Paul healthy, but Peja’s poppin’ the threes again.
Utah Jazz (2-2) Brewer is already making Jazz fans forget about Derek Fisher.
Los Angeles Clippers (3-0) T-squared’s getting his money’s worth right now, but how long can they hold up without Elton?
Los Angeles Lakers (2-2) Challenged Houston, beat Phoenix and Utah, and Odom’s still on the shelf.
Cleveland Cavaliers (2-2) At least they have Pavlovic back, but without Sideshow Bob, they don’t have the same kind of energy.
Orlando Magic (3-1) Turkoglu’s playing out of his mind and Howard is starting to move into the elite category of PF’s
Indiana Pacers (3-0) There’s no way they can keep this up, there’s just no way. I feel good about drafting Granger though.
Toronto Raptors (2-2) Got an early-season statement win in New Jersey, but have since fallen back to earth.
New Jersey Nets (3-1) While the rest of the trio struggles, Jefferson is playing out of his mind.
New York Knicks (2-1) If they can establish the inside game with Curry and Randolph, they’ll be leaps and bounds better than last year.
Denver Nuggets (2-2) For a team with such size up front, you would think the Nuggets could play better defense than they’re playing.
Milwaukee Bucks (2-2) Redd alert! Redd alert! He’s back in full force and the Bucks look improved.
Atlanta Hawks (1-2) Speaking of improved, this is a possible playoff sleeper right here.
Charlotte Bobcats (2-1) Already missing Morrison, now they may be without Felton for a while.
Philadelphia 76ers (1-2) With Reggie Evans coming over from Denver, they look good defensively.
Miami Heat (0-3) They look helpless offensively without Wade.
Chicago Bulls (0-4) It’ll take more than a Kobe trade to save this team, but then again, they got off to a bad start last year too.
Golden State Warriors (0-4) This team’s hurting without Jackson. They need him back ASAP!
Washington Wizards (0-3) Agent 0 is not liking the fact that the zero is in the left-handed column.
Sacramento Kings (1-3) They might as well tank the season with no Bibby for months.
Memphis Grizzlies (0-2) They at least look more competitive than they did last year.
Portland Trail Blazers (0-3) Aldrige is one of the few bright spots in what looks like a dismal season.
Minnesota Timberwolves (0-3) Talent-challenged, but still competing very hard despite this.
Seattle Supersonics (0-4) The fans in Seattle may only get to enjoy Durant for one or two more seasons unless the taxpayers help fund a new arena.

Week 9 NFL Predictions

2007-11-04T18:38:00.000-08:00

Washington at New York Jets

Line: Redskins by 3.5

Might as well throw up a white flag, Jets, your season’s finished. And to think, all they needed to do was start Kellen Clemens about eight weeks earlier and they might have a fighting chance. Redskins 24, Jets 14

Green Bay at Kansas City

Line: Chiefs by 2.5

Herman Edwards is circling the wagons yet again, taking a team with no QB’s, no WR’s, an aging TE and an overworked RB to a 4-3 record and a tie for the division lead as they near the midway point. A little ball-control and some tough D and they should knock off the Pack to maintain their momentum. Chiefs 21, Packers 13

Arizona at Tampa Bay

Line: Buccaneers by 3.5

Does Jon Gruden have that same scowl on his face when he’s getting the mail or walking the dog? ESPN should do a reality show to find out. They should do another reality show on retired coaches and figure out of Dennis Green’s gained about 20 more pounds in an effort to keep up with Mark Mangino. Buccaneers 20, Cardinals 19

Carolina at Tennessee

Line: Titans by 4

No truth to the rumor that Steve Buerlein has been contacted for a QB job. Maybe the Panthers should go after Steve DeBerg next. Just think how dangerously close we were to watching Vinny Testaverde vs Kerry Collins and breathe a huge sigh of relief. Titans 13, Panthers 10

San Francisco at Atlanta

Line: Falcons by 3

A few weeks ago, a Falcons fan was popping off on a Niners’ message board about Alex Smith being a bust. This leads me to wonder what’s worse, drafting a QB who never lives up to his promise because of the team around him, or drafting a QB who takes a bad team to the playoffs a few times but enjoys making hot dogs in the offseason and ultimately screws the team (and himself) over? Falcons 23, 49ers 17

Jacksonville at New Orleans

Line: Saints by 3.5

Not drinkin’ the Saints’ Kool-Aid. Their three game winning streak has come against three teams that are not playing good football. All Jacksonville has to do is run the ball the way they did last week and the Saints’ D is at their mercy. Jaguars 24, Saints 17

San Diego at Minnesota

Line: Chargers by 7

It appears the Chargers have rallied around their embattled coach and are playing with the same explosion that won them 14 games last year. After the Minnesota game, however, the schedule gets difficult starting with a showdown against the Colts. Chargers 38, Vikings 17

Denver at Detroit

Line: Lions by 3

Feel the wrath of the Lion growl . Detroit is on the prowl and they’re about to double their win total by the halfway mark of the season. As woeful as Denver’s run D has been, expect Kevin Jones to have one of those 150+ yards/3 TD games against them. Lions 31, Broncos 21

Cincinnati at Buffalo

Line: Bengals by 1

JP Losman is starting! Any rumors of a Buffalo win have since been quickly put to rest. Bill Simmons maybe getting screwed in his column for picking Buffalo, but being that I can wait till Sunday to make my picks, I have the freedom to adjust! Bengals 17, Bills 13

Seattle at Cleveland

Line: Browns by 1

How on earth does Mike Holmgren keep his job? Are they so delusionally overjoyed by the ‘Hawks Super Bowl appearance that they can’t see this guy is wasting the prime of several talented players’ careers? Anyways, if there were a NOW segment for this column, the rapidly-improving Browns would be the NOW team of the present. Browns 23, Seahawks 20

Houston at Oakland

Line: Raiders by 3.5

Andre’s back! It’s gotta work now Texans! Show them you’re more than just a last place team. At least you can beat the Raiders, right? Texans 21, Raiders 20

Indianapolis at New England

Line: Patriots by 5.5

This is it! The game of the year! All the hype, all the questions all the Super Bowl 41 and a half talk, and now the two best teams in the National Football League take the field. Who has the edge this time? Indianapolis has done nothing to disappoint as their defense has overcome injuries to post an impressive 7-0 record, but since the Pats added Moss, Welker and Stallworth, they’ve taken their biggest weakness and made it their biggest strength. So far, they’ve dominated every team they’ve played hands down, as not one game has been closer than 21 points. Do the Colts have what it takes to make this a ballgame? Sure they do, as I don’t think the Pats’ defense will have much success stopping them. But can the Colts stop the Patriots’ offense? It just may be too tall a task. Patriots 38, Colts 35

Dallas at Philadelphia

Line: Cowboys by 3.5

The Eagles are 0-2 in the division and didn’t look particularly competitive against either the Redskins or Giants. That’s too bad because the Cowboys are easily the toughest divisional opponent. Unless Philly figures out a way to score overnight, it’s going to be a long night. Cowboys 23, Eagles 10

Baltimore at Pittsburgh

Line: Steelers by 9.5

This is a divisional rivalry often determined by which offense looks worse since the defenses always bring their A-games. This year, it looks like Baltimore’s on the short end of the stick, as Roethlisberger’s motorcycle wounds have healed. Still, it’s a divisional rivalry and you never know if the Ravens suddenly show up to play after looking so inconsistent in their first seven games. Steelers 20, Ravens 14

Week 8 vs Spread 4-9

Season vs Spread 51-57-8

Week 8 Straight up 6-7

Season Straight up 73-43

Week 8 NFL Predictions

2007-10-28T18:36:00.000-07:00

Indianapolis at Carolina

Line: Colts by 7

It’s not that he’s starting. It’s the fact that Vinny Testaverde actually looks like a serviceable QB that has me wondering where all the good college QB’s are. Teams can’t be in such a sad state at that position that they’re actually depending on mediocre career QB’s in the their 40’s, can they?

Colts 31, Panthers 17

Pittsburgh at Cincinnati

Line: Steelers by 3.5

Pittsburgh fooled a lot of people, myself included, into thinking they’re contenders. This team still hasn’t put together a good road game since Week 1. Most of Cincinnati’s failures have occurred outside of Paul Brown stadium, so they ride some more of that home-crowd mojo in upsetting the Steelers. Bengals 24, Steelers 23

Detroit at Chicago

Line: Bears by 5

Going with Chicago is a dicey proposition, but the Lions were completely uncompetitive in their last two road outings and will have a tough time throwing in cold weather. Bears 24, Lions 14

Oakland at Tennessee

Line: Titans by 7.5

And speaking of aging, mediocre QB’s, Kerry Collins somehow still has a job. No I’m not drinkin’ the Kool-Aid, even when Collins was a regular, did he ever string together two good games in a row? Titans 16, Raiders 14

Cleveland at St. Louis

Line: Browns by 3.5

Everyone’s excited about the Pats and Colts chasing the ’72 Dolphins, but the battle for 0-16 is just as mesmerizing. Oh yeah, JLew, stop making guarantees that you’re gonna play and copping out at the last minute! I can’t keep playing Kevin Faulk every week!

Browns 17, Rams 10

Philadelphia at Minnesota

Line: Vikings by 1

I’ll keep drinking the purple Kool-Aid as long as A-Pete keeps showing signs of being the next great one. What happened to Philly last week will probably keep them staggering for the next few weeks. To lose a game at home to the Bears when you had them pinned on the three yard-line? Forget about a punch in the gut, that’s being hit in the back of the head with a champagne bottle while not looking! Vikings 21, Eagles 16

New York Giants vs Miami

Line: Giants by 9.5

So, does anyone think the English will start rioting when they hear that instead of seeing Trent Green and Ronnie Brown, they get to watch the always formidable duo of Cleo Lemon and Jesse Chatman? Giants 24, Dolphins 10

Buffalo at New York Jets

Line: Jets by 3

The Jets can’t just keep “coming close” every week. Eventually they have to break through, right? Last chance, Mangini! Save the season now or you’re officially on my shit list! Jets 24, Bills 20

Houston at San Diego

Line: Chargers by 10.5

I have visited San Diego. It’s a beautiful city and it breaks my heart to hear that it’s caught ablaze. Hopefully, wherever the game is played, the players, their families, the fans and the good citizens of San Diego find that state of normalcy again. Chargers 24, Texans 17

Jacksonville at Tampa Bay

Line: Buccaneers by 3.5

No Garrard, no MoJo, no chance. Tampa should count their blessings, first the Titans lose Vince when they travel there, and now the Jags come in banged up. The good vibes stay with the teams I jock (remember two years ago suckas??) Buccaneers 14, Jaguars 7

Washington at New England

Line: Patriots by 16

Alas, a line even the legendary Patriots may not cover. Washington won’t win the game outright, but I could see them limiting New England’s possessions by churning out rushing yards and hitting the Pats’ receivers on virtually every play. Patriots 31, Redskins 17

San Francisco at New Orleans

Line: Saints by 2.5

The classic Sunday Night Game with Preseason hype that fizzles when both teams go in the tank about halfway through the season. Watching the Niners’ OL against the Saints’ DL will be the resistable force against the moveable object. 49ers 17, Saints 14

Green Bay at Denver

Line: Packers by 3.5

Shanahan’s Broncs have circled the wagons yet again. I had that feeling I’d be screaming “Where was that in the first five games!!” at the TV, now with another win here, Denver can move into a possible 3-way-tie for first in the AFC West. Broncos 24, Packers 21

Week 7 vs the spread 7-7

Season vs the spread 47-48-8

Week 7 Straight up 10-4

Season straight up 67-36

Week 7 NFL Predictions

2007-10-21T19:09:00.000-07:00

Baltimore at Buffalo

Line: Ravens by 3

Buffalo has played above expectations at home and Baltimore’s offense is running hot-and-cold. I’m taking Buffalo outright as a home underdog. Bills 16, Ravens 13

San Francisco at New York Giants

Line: Giants by 9

I wonder what this line would look like if these teams met up in Week 3. Since these teams are moving in dramatically opposite directions, you go with the Giants to cover, especially with Vegas moving the line back almost 2 points. Giants 27, 49ers 10

New England at Miami

Line: Patriots by 16.5

You can forget the “Tom Brady in Miami” theory. This Patriots’ system is fool-proof. They can score points with Kevin Faulk and Kyle Eckel in the backfield. As long as the dominant receivers are there, Miami is helpless to stop them. Patriots 41, Dolphins 10

Tennessee at Houston

Line: Titans by 1.5

The Texans just seem to inspire less and less confidence in me that they’ll truly emerge as a playoff team. Is it too late to say first winning record in franchise history? They win this week because of Vince’s bum wheel limiting him. Texans 17, Titans 10

Tampa Bay at Detroit

Line: Lions by 2

Finesse offense against a speed defense. Gotta go with Tampa in this one, other than the Indianapolis game, their defense has allowed a grand total of 54 points. Buccaneers 14, Lions 13

Atlanta at New Orleans

Line: Saints by 9

Possibly the worst line of the week. New Orleans has had precisely one good offensive half all year and somehow they’re 9 points better than the Falcons. Sorry, but Atlanta has at least made things respectable in all their losses. Saints 24, Falcons 17

Arizona at Washington
Line: Redskins by 9

Not too crazy about this line either, as I think the Arizona defense can at least make the contest respectable on the road. Redskins 20, Cardinals 17

Kansas City at Oakland

Line: Radiers by 3

I’ll let recent history be the judge of the outcome here, as the Chiefs have dominated the series lately, have played beyond expectations, and the Raiders are still a young team that must take its lumps. Chiefs 13, Raiders 10

New York Jets at Cincinnati

Line: Bengals by 6

Two talented teams are fighting desperately for their playoff lives and the Bengals are the ones who finally play up to their lofty preseason expectations. Bengals 28, Jets 23

Minnesota at Dallas

Line: Cowboys by 9.5

Dallas is already showing early signs of playing down to its competition, as they did two weeks ago in Buffalo. They’re also facing a red-hot RB in Adrian Peterson, who’s enough of a threat to beat a team single-handedly. The Cowboys fortunately have just enough talent to overtake the Vikes. Cowboys 31, Vikings 24

Chicago at Philadelphia

Line: Eagles by 5

Chicago is abysmal against the run and you know Philly can’t wait to give them a handful of Brian Westbrook, who can kill you running and catching. Oh, and Brian Griese in Philadelphia? Fuhgidabowdit! Eagles 24, Bears 10

St. Louis at Seattle

Line: Seahawks by 8

Until I see the Seahawks’ offense play like it has a pulse, I’m going to continue to pick against them. I probably should have started this trend last week when they got embarrassed by the Saints. Seahawks 21, Rams 14

Pittsburgh at Denver

Line: Steelers by 3.5

The Broncos’ flat offense is not going to get better against one of the toughest defenses in football. Meanwhile, the Steelers should play a solid, efficient game and hammer one of the most overrated teams in the NFL. Steelers 24, Broncos 10

Indianapolis at Jacksonville

Line: Colts by 3

None of the Sunday games are watchable, they had to save the good game for Monday Night. While the Jaguars’ D will be game, Peyton has shown that he can overcome a good defense and always plays well under the spotlight. Plus, the Colts’ D will show some pride after last year’s meltdown against the Jags. Colts 27, Jaguars 20

Week 6 vs the spread 6-5-2

Season vs the spread 40-41-8

Week 6 Straight up 8-5

Season Straight up 57-32

Week 6 NFL Predictions

2007-10-14T19:08:00.000-07:00

St. Louis at Baltimore

Line: Ravens by 9.5

As bad as the Rams are, I hesitate to take the Ravens to win by more than 7 against anyone unless their offense suddenly shows a dramatic improvement. Ravens 14, Rams 7

Washington at Green Bay

Line: Packers by 3

The Redskins will be game, but Favre will do them one better as the Pack put last week’s meltdown against Chicago behind them. Packers 20, Redskins 16

Tampa Bay at Tennessee

Line: Buccaneers by 3

This is a banged up Tampa squad playing at home against one of the premier teams in the AFC. Vince will be back to his old tricks after a stinker performance against Atlanta last week. Titans 20, Buccaneers 10

Cincinnati at Kansas City

Line: Bengals by 3

The Bengals’ miserable D is making the entire league look good. Even an anemic offense like KC’s can put up points against this sad excuse for a D. Cheifs 27, Bengals 24

Philadelphia at New York Jets

Line: Eagles by 3.5

The Eagles are a different team without Brian Westbrook. That was apparent against the Giants when they had no blitz protection against McNabb, no short targets in the passing game, and their offense turned to goo. This week, not only is Westbrook back, but so is William Thomas, whose backup got burned last week by Umenyoria to the tune of 6 sacks. I’ll go with a healing Philly against the blundering Jets. Eagles 24, Jets 17

Houston at Jacksonville

Line: Jaguars by 6.5

The Jaguars smell the cheese and get lured into this trap game, thanks to the Houston Texans, the team on a mission to make the playoffs for the first time in it’s franchise history. Ride that mojo one more week, Andre’s coming back soon! Texans 24, Jaguars 21

Minnesota at Chicago

Line: Bears by 5.5

With two bad offenses taking the field, no one’s beating anyone by more than three points. Whatever the O/U is, take the under, even if it’s 10. If you’re a fan of defense, expect to see a lot in this game, with points at an absolute premium. Bears 6, Vikings 3

Miami at Cleveland

Line: Browns by 4.5

Cleo Lemon on the road. I just keep reminding myself of that. But anyone that’s a Ronnie Brown owner, I’d like him in a trade please. I knew I shouldn’t have dealt him two years ago! Wish I could take that back! Browns 20, Dolphins 10

Carolina at Arizona

Line: Cardinals by 4.5

Mr. Brenda Warner has his revenge! We still believe in you Kurt. Suddenly, the Cardinals are becoming favorites for the second week in a row. Has that ever happened in recorded history? Could this team actually be playoff good? They should at least beat the Panthers with all the QB problems they’re having. Cardinals 17, Panthers 10

Oakland at San Diego

Line: Chargers by 9.5

From a pure talent standpoint, it shouldn’t be close, but do not underestimate Norv Turner’s coaching, as it can strike at any time and plague a talented team, making them work harder than they need to against an inferior opponent. Chargers 24, Raiders 17

New England at Dallas

Line: Patriots by 4.5

In the big showdown of the year between two 5-0 teams, New England has dominated the league like few in recent memory with a bone-crushing defense and a playmaking offense. Dallas, meanwhile, might have had its cover pulled with last week’s stinker performance in Buffalo. While they did escape with the win, Dallas’s offensive line looked very beatable and Romo showed he’s a much less effective QB against constant pressure, something the Patriots’ defense will be sure to give him plenty of. Patriots 27, Cowboys 13

New Orleans at Seattle

Line: Seahawks by 6.5

Lets call this the Tums Blowout of the Week, as the miserable Saints can do little right against the Seahawks, extending their long losing streak. Seahawks 27, Saints 7

New York Giants at Atlanta

Line: Giants by 3.5

I’m not 100% sold on the Giants’ defense, but they do show up against bad offensive teams, like this Atlanta squad. Giants 24, Falcons 14

Week 5 vs Spread: 5-9

Season vs Spread: 34-36-6

Week 5 Straight up: 11-3

Season Straight up: 49-27

Week 5 NFL Predictions

2007-10-07T19:07:00.000-07:00

Carolina at New Orleans

Line: Saints by 3

The losses stop here for the Saints, as the David Carr-led Panthers can’t get it done on the road and Drew Brees finally breaks free of his season-long slump. Saints 28, Panthers 21

Jacksonville at Kansas City

Line: Jaguars by 2

The Jaguars run hot-and-cold and the Chiefs’ Dwayne Bowe is quickly becoming a front-runner for Rookie of the Year. His ability to stretch the defense will be the difference. Also, keep in mind, the Kansas City defense has yet to let up a second half TD. Chiefs 13, Jaguars 10

Detroit at Washington

Line: Redskins by 3.5

Bad matchup for Detroit. Their secondary is clearly the club’s weak-link and Washington has playmakers in the passing game. The offense will get it back on track with a well-balanced effort against the Lions. Redskins 35, Lions 21

Atlanta at Tennessee

Line: Titans by 8.5

If he continues to play at a high level, Joey Harrington can keep the Falcons close in Tennessee. Ultimately, though, the defense will be helpless trying to stop Vince. Titans 27, Falcons 20

Miami at Houston

Line: Texans by 5.5

It looks like the Texans’ Cinderella story has taken a pit-stop, but not to worry, even without Andre Johnson for the time being, the Texans will get back on the path that leads to the playoffs for the first time in franchise history. Lose to the Dolphins, however, and my theory will be almost in ruins. Texans 31, Dolphins 21

Seattle at Pittsburgh

Line: Steelers by 6

These teams are evenly matched on paper, so it will likely come down to who can run the ball better. I’ll go with Pittsburgh after last week’s lackluster rushing effort against Arizona to get back on track in that regard. Steelers 24, Seahawks 21

Cleveland at New England

Line: Patriots by 16.5

Every week, the lines get more staggering for this team, and you know what? You still take the points, that’s how dominant this Patriots team is. Don’t expect much of a let-down as this well-oiled machine rolls over Cleveland in the tune-up to the Dallas showdown. Easy candidate for Tums Blowout of the Week. Patriots 38, Browns 17

Arizona at St. Louis

Line: Cardinals by 3.5

This Cardinal team has sleeper potential written all over it with their hard-hitting defense and newfound running game. They should have little difficultly dominating the hapless Rams. Cardinals 34, Rams 21

New York Jets at New York Giants

Line: Giants by 3.5

Nothing like a good old-fashioned inner-state rivalry. The beauty of this game is, like the Lakers and Clippers, there’s no real home-field advantage. The Giants are the pick though after their defense has come back on track with a strong second half against the Redskins and a dominating effort against the Eagles. Giants 23, Jets 17

Tampa Bay at Indianapolis

Line: Colts by 9.5

The Colts’ O will suddenly face tougher sledding when the #1 defense in the NFL comes to town. They’ll still get enough points to get by, but Indy will have its hands full with Tampa, especially being thin at LB since Garcia thrives in the short game. Colts 24, Buccaneers 17

San Diego at Denver

Line: Broncos by 1

This Chargers’ team is quickly becoming a complete disaster. Norv Turner is literally coaching them into the ground and Philip Rivers has shown signs of regression after a strong first year. They still should be able to dominate on the ground, however, against a helpless Broncos’ run defense so long as they keep it simple and pound it between the tackles with LT. Chargers 24, Broncos 20

Baltimore at San Francisco

Line: Ravens by 3

As much as people criticize Alex Smith, he was probably the Niners’ best offensive player, as his armstrength and decision-making have improved even though the O-line has been woeful. Baltimore’s been no great shakes this year, but they should have enough to beat the helpless Trent Dilfer-led Niners in San Francisco. Ravens 17, 49ers 10

Chicago at Green Bay

Line: Packers by 3

The Bears should just clone Devin Hester and start him at WR, RB and QB. That would solve two problems with the Bears’ offense. The Packers don’t run the ball, but it won’t make a difference as Brett Favre should torch the Mike Brown-less Bears’ secondary as the Packers stay perfect. Packers 20, Bears 13

Dallas at Buffalo

Line: Cowboys by 10.5

Dallas is 4-0 for the first time since 1995 and they should keep it rolling against the Bills as long as the offense keeps clicking in high gear. Cowboys 35, Bills 17

Week 4 vs spread: 7-7

Season vs spread: 29-27-6

Week 4 Straight up: 5-9

Season Straight up: 38-24

Week 4 NFL Predictions

2007-09-30T19:06:00.001-07:00

New York Jets at Buffalo

Line: Jets by 3.5

The Jets are going to be OK. So long as this team can run the football, they should have no problem beating the downtrodden Bills, who have yet to break into the win column. Jets 20, Bills 14

Baltimore at Cleveland
Line: Ravens by 4

Jamal Lewis against his old team. Revenge will be a factor, no doubt. This Ravens team has yet to really impress me, as they’ve barely gotten by in their two wins and appear to be losing a step defensively. Ravens 23, Browns 20

Oakland at Miami

Line: Dolphins by 4.5

The Dolphins could only get this kind of line against a team like the Raiders. Oakland was fairly competitive in its last pair of games, but they’re still a young team and are at a distinct disadvantage starting Daunte Culpepper on the road.

Dolphins 24, Raiders 14

Chicago at Detroit

Line: Bears by 3

You know you’re having QB problems when your fans are actually excited about Brian Griese starting. Detroit’s biggest weakness is pass defense and Griese will spend the whole game trying to get in rhythm, so no defensive letdown this week for the Lions. Lions 17, Bears 13

St. Louis at Dallas

Line: Cowboys by 13

The oddsmakers were being generous with this line. This game will be over well before halftime. St. Louis is playing without its star RB, its star OT and with a QB playing on two bruised ribs. If that’s not enough, Tony Romo has been on fire and the Rams’ pass defense has been getting torched all year. Lets just call this the Official TUMS Blowout of the Week. Cowboys 49, Rams 21

Houston at Atlanta

Line: Texans by 3

The Texans will make the playoffs for the first time in franchise history and even without Andre Johnson and Ahman Green, the Falcons will feel the wrath of Andra Davis, Ron Dayne and Dr. Samkon Gado. This is the year the Falcons wish they could have Matt Schaub back. Texans 21, Falcons 13

Seattle at San Francisco

Line: Seahawks by 2

This one’s too easy. Take the home team here. San Francisco may not look as impressive as their 2-1 record suggests, but its not like the Seahawks have been setting the world on fire. Frank Gore loves playing against these guys, as his two monster games against Seattle from last year suggests. 49ers 24, Seahawks 20

Green Bay at Minnesota

Line: Packers by 2

The young Brett Favre lost routinely in the Metrodome. The more experienced Brett Favre owns the Metrodome, having won there in three of the last four years. This Sunday won’t be any different. Packers 20, Vikings 17

Tampa Bay at Carolina

Line: Panthers by 3

Jake Delhomme is hurt, but I don’t think the injury matters so long as Carolina continues to run the football the way they did the last two weeks. Jeff Garcia is due to come back to earth and David Carr could honestly take this job and run with a good performance this week. Panthers 24, Buccaneers 20

Pittsburgh at Arizona

Line: Steelers by 6

A tricky one for the Steelers, as they’ll be going up against an old coordinator who knows most of their secrets in Ken Whisenhunt with a good but fairly inexperienced coach in Mike Tomlin. I’ll go with Pittsburgh on sheer talent, but it’s scary how well Arizona matches up with them. Steelers 20, Cardinals 17

Kansas City at San Diego

Line: Chargers by 11.5

Everyone keeps anxiously waiting for that breakout game from the Chargers. The talent is clearly there, but they have to get back to playing physical football. They’ll start to do it against the Chiefs by shutting down their offense early and controlling the game on the ground. Chargers 24, Chiefs 10

Denver at Indianapolis

Line: Colts by 9.5

Shanahan’s teams have not fared well against this Colts’ outfit in recent years. It’s like Peyton Manning is always two steps ahead of him. The Broncos added Dre Bly to match up with Reggie Wayne, so Manning will just use the middle of the field and kill them with Dallas Clark, Joe Addai (Sharpstown High represent!!!) and Anthony Gonzalez. Plus the Colts’ D has played better than expected this year and the Broncos are having enough problems on offense. Colts 42, Broncos 24

Philadelphia at New York Giants

Line: Eagles by 2.5

After putting up a 56-spot on the Lions, it looks like the Eagles will be OK. Donovan McNabb should continue to get well against another weak secondary, as he’ll attack the middle of the field repeatedly against the Giants’ soft coverage. New York should thank their lucky stars they woke up in the second half against Washington, otherwise they’d be 0-3 right now. Eagles 24, Giants 17

New England at Cincinnati

Line: Patriots by 7.5

This game has serious video game score potential. The Patriots have been kicking ass and taking names the first three weeks while the Bengals have been their usual productive selves on offense and absolutely miserable on defense. With no Rudi Johnson, Carson Palmer could honestly pass the ball 50 times in this game, nothing would surprise me. Oh, and the Pats will win comfortably. Patriots 70, Bengals 56

Week 3 vs Spread: 7-6-3

Season vs Spread: 22-20-6

Week 3 Straight up: 12-4

Season Straight up: 33-15

Week 3 NFL Predictions

2007-09-23T19:06:00.000-07:00

Indianapolis at Houston

Line: Colts by 6

They’re still my sleeper, they’re still going to the playoffs for the first time in franchise history, but can the Texans beat one of the two best teams in the league without their #1 target, Andre Johnson? I’m hedging my bets on that. Colts 27, Texans 20

San Diego at Green Bay

Line: Chargers by 5

San Diego’s offense has looked inept the first two weeks, but how long can it stay this bad? I’m guessing this is the breakout game. If not, you’ll know exactly who’s fault it is, and he’s wearing the headset. Chargers 28, Packers 21

Minnesota at Kansas City

Line: Chiefs by 2.5

Scoring will be at a premium in this game as two struggling offenses face two pretty good defenses. The advantage goes to KC, as It’d be tough to imagine Tavaris Jackson winning in a hostile environment. Chiefs 10, Vikings 7

Detroit at Philadelphia

Line: Eagles by 6.5

This is a bad Eagles’ offense with slow receivers and an aging QB. They shouldn’t be favored by 6.5 against Penn St, much less the 2-0 Lions who have an arsenal of offensive weapons. Eagles 21, Lions 18

Buffalo at New England

Line: Patriots by 16.5

It’s a divisional rivalry and the Pats are due for a letdown of sorts after winning their first two handily. This could be one of those games that’s a struggle in the 3^rd quarter before the Pats’ talent eventually outlasts the Bills. Patriots 31, Bills 17

Miami at New York Jets

Line: Jets by 3

Pennington’s the QB of the present, even though Clemens proved more than capable of running the offense in his absence. The Jets started to move the ball well against Baltimore, but this week they finally put it all together. Jets 30, Dolphins 20

San Francisco at Pittsburgh

Line: Steelers by 9

The Steelers are a dominant 2-0, while the Niners are a lucky 2-0, having barely squeaked by the Cardinals and Rams. Alex Smith has talent, but he won’t flash it enough against the Steelers’ scary blitz that will likely keep him completely out of rhythm. Call this one the Tums Blowout of the Week. Steelers 31, 49ers 10

Arizona at Baltimore
Line: Ravens by 8

Without their two best linemen, the Ravens will get all they can handle from the road-dog Cardinals, who have enough moxie to keep it close. Ravens 13, Cardinals 10

St. Louis at Tampa Bay

Line: Bucs by 3.5

St. Louis has a bad secondary and Jeff Garcia is already clicking with his receivers. The Rams don’t have Orlando Pace and the Tampa D is playing surprisingly well. All around, a bad matchup for the Rams, as Tampa might be the best team in the suddenly-anemic NFC South. Bucs 24, Rams 17

Jacksonville at Denver

Line: Broncos by 3

You just don’t know which team’s going to show up, and that’s the case on both sides. What I do know is there appears to be something flukish about Denver’s 2-0 start and I have to believe Jacksonville shows up in this game since they have a strange tendency to play well with the odds against them against tougher competition. Broncos 21, Jaguars 20

Cincinnati at Seattle

Line: Seahawks by 3

This should be about as entertaining as an AFL game, with offensive weapons galore and defense that are underperforming. Seattle wins this high-scoring affair as Hasselbeck has a little more ammo than Palmer and the Hawks control the ball on the ground against a woeful Bengals’ rush defense. Seahawks 35, Bengals 30

Cleveland at Oakland

Line: Raiders by 3

The Raiders came awfully close to their first win of the season in Denver and they completely get the job done against the youthful Browns. Raiders 21, Browns 17

Carolina at Atlanta

Line: Panthers by 4

It may not be long before Byron Leftwich gets another shot under center. For now, the completely inept Falcons’ offense will rely on Joey Harrington and his bumbling incompetence once more. Panthers 20, Falcons 10

New York Giants at Washington

Line: Redskins by 3.5

The Redskins look like a good all-around club that moves the ball on the ground, plays tough defense, and gets big plays from its passing game. The Giants, meanwhile, are a mess on defense and the revamped Redskin offense will likely tear them to shreds. Redskins 34, Giants 17

Dallas at Chicago

Line: Bears by 3

You just can’t count on the Bears’ offense this year, as they’re clearly having a post-Super Bowl hangover. Meanwhile, look for Tony Romo to stay hot and lead the troops to a close road win as the Boys stay undefeated. Cowboys 20, Bears 17

Tennessee at New Orleans
Line: Saints by 4.5

The Saints will be fired up, playing at home on Monday Night in a desperate situation. That’s enough for them to topple the Titans. Saints 27, Titans 17

Last Week vs Spread: 8-7-1

Season vs Spread: 15-14-3

Last Week Straight up: 11-5

Season Straight up: 21-11

Week 2 NFL Predictions

2007-09-14T19:04:00.000-07:00

Houston at Carolina

Line: Panthers by 6.5

OK, I’d like a mulligan on the Falcons’ pick. I pulled this off once with Tampa Bay, so me picking my seasonal sleeper in Week 2 is not unprecedented. This year’s surprise team will come from my old hometown, as the Houston Texans will emerge as a playoff team for the first time in the franchise history.

Texans 25, Panthers 24

Cincinnati at Cleveland

Line: Bengals by 7

This one’s a gimme. Cincy has more talent on both sides of the football. Time to put Romeo Crennell on the hot seat, where he’ll stay for about the next ten games before his inevitable firing. Bengals 31, Browns 6

Atlanta at Jacksonville

Line: Jaguars by 10

As badly as the Falcons stunk up the joint in Week 1 (and yes, I’m calling for a mulligan until Joey Harrington actually starts playing like a competent NFL QB) the Jags shouldn’t be favored by ten against anybody after their lackluster opening game effort against Tennessee. Too many issues at the QB position. Jaguars 20, Falcons 13

Green Bay at New York Giants

Line: Packers by 1.5

The line went down considerably as Eli’s been upgraded from out to game-time decision. Still, while the Packers have a good defense, they needed dumb luck to squeak past the Eagles. Giants 17, Packers 13

Buffalo at Pittsburgh

Line: Steelers by 10

This Buffalo team is a resilient bunch, but after getting their hearts physically ripped from their chests Temple of Doom style in Week 1 and traveling into Pittsburgh against a suddenly-revamped and motivated Steelers’ team, the odds clearly stack against against the Bills. Steelers 24, Bills 10

San Francisco at St. Louis

Line: Rams by 3

Orlando Pace’s season-ending injury is about the worst thing that could happen to the Rams’ offense. Without him, there’s no pass-protection and things are about to get real ugly for the Rams’ season. 49ers 20, Rams 17

New Orleans at Tampa Bay

Line: Saints by 3

The Saints may eek by thanks to Tampa’s inept offense, but make no mistake about it. This is clearly not the same team without Joe Horn and the Katrina euphoria is all but gone. Saints 14, Bucs 10

Indianapolis at Tennessee

Line: Colts by 7

Tennessee seems to love playing the Colts. What they’ll love even more is that this is the same defense Vince gave nightmares to twice last year, and this year they don’t have Booger in the middle to control the running game. Indy in a squeaker. Colts 27, Titans 24

Seattle at Arizona

Line: Seahawks by 2.5

The Cardinals were about 5 minutes away from making me and a host of others look incredibly stupid when they folded in typical fashion. What’s even funnier is the way they bungled the game, not knocking the ball out of the end zone to give the Niners that one extra chance to score. Seattle won’t need any extra chances, this one will be over pretty early. Seahawks 20, Cardinals 7

Minnesota at Detroit

Line: Lions by 3

It’s Jon Kitna against a horrid secondary. If he can limit his mistakes, he’ll pick the Vikings apart with all the weapons he has at receiver. Minnesota came close to losing to the Lions a couple times last year and this time they bite the dust. Lions 28, Vikings 24

Dallas at Miami

Line: Cowboys by 3.5

Lets call this the Tums Blowout of the Week special. Dallas’s suspect secondary won’t have to worry about Roy Williams being out of position on every passing play this week as the Dolphins’ passing game (and offense in general) is completely inept. Cowboys 27, Dolphins 7

New York Jets at Baltimore

Line: Ravens by 10

Yes, McNair looked awful last week, but he’s got the Jets secondary this week, the same guys who looked like a bunch of pylons as every New England receiver you can name ran circles around them. Not to mention, this is Kellen Clemens (in all likelihood) on the road against arguably the best defense in the game when the offense gives them more than half a field to work with. Ravens 21, Jets 3

Kansas City at Chicago

Line: Bears by 12

The Chiefs just looked awful in every aspect of the game against Houston. Chicago has a few injuries on defense, but it won’t make much of a difference if the Chiefs playcalling stays that bad this week. There’s a good likelihood of that too as Herm Edwards is the one handling that responsibility. Bears 30, Chiefs 3

Oakland at Denver

Line: Broncos by 9.5

The Broncos have the talent and potential of a playoff team, but they looked like anything but one in a Week 1 win over Buffalo in which they trailed on every play except Jason Elam’s game-winning FG. Oakland’s defense is still good and Cutler’s inexperience means a couple cheap scores from his mistakes keep the game close. Broncos 17, Raiders 10

San Diego at New England

Line: Patriots by 3

LaDanian will be back to 100-yard form with Rick Seymour out of the lineup, but Philip Rivers, who still looked a little unpolished against the Bears, will likely make a couple mistakes. And this Patriots team, with the revamped offense they have, WILL CAPITALIZE. Patriots 31, Chargers 21

Washington at Philadelphia

Line: Eagles by 6.5

If the Eagles need a punt returner, I have no qualms about going into their training facility right now and winning a job Vince Papale style. Must-win game for Philly, hostile environment for the Redskins, go with the home team, wash, rinse, repeat. Eagles 24, Redskins 14

Week 1 vs Spread: 7-7-2

Season vs Spread: 7-7-2

Week 1 Straight up: 10-6

Season Straight up: 10-6